When will it be ok?
by CaliforniaChick
Summary: (Chris centric) Life is hard being the son of a charmed one, but it is even harder when you don't have the support of your family. When life throws it's twists and turns your way, one question lingers in your mind "When will it be ok?"
1. Default Chapter

Hey everyone! This is my first Charmed fic so go easy on me, ok? This first chapter is kinda slow since it is only the first chapter. I had to get everything stared before I get to the drama and action and the real plot. So I hope you enjoy. Reviews would be nice.

Characters:

Piper Halliwell

Leo Wyatt

Phoebe Halliwell

Paige Matthews Halliwell

Wyatt Halliwell (23)

Chris Halliwell (17)

Ryan Halliwell (16) (Piper and Leo's third son)

Disclaimer: You know the drill- I don't own Charmed or any of these characters (besides Ryan). So please don't sue me.

"Chris! Wake up!"

Chris groaned to himself as he lay sprawled on his bed. He blinked a few times before quickly glancing up at his alarm clock.

9:04 A.M

He turned his body to the source of the voice and found Wyatt leaning against the doorframe to his room. He was already dressed in jeans and a navy button up shirt and his wavy blond hair was slightly damp from his morning shower.

"If you don't hurry up and get downstairs, Ryan is gonna eat your pancakes for ya. You know how much of a pig our little bro can be."

"Trust me, I know. I'll be down in a sec." Chris replied as he slowly sat up on his bed and rubbed the sleepiness out of his eyes.

Wyatt gave Chris a wink before turning away from the door and making his way to the stairs.

Chris let out a sigh as he glanced outside the window above his bed. It was another sunny and cloudless summer day in San Francisco. 'What a surprise.' He thought to himself.

He stretched his arms and legs before getting up and grabbing a random shirt from his dresser. In this case, it was a plain, white, short sleeve motocross shirt. He quickly found the pair of jeans he wore yesterday and threw them on.

He knew Wyatt was only half joking about Ryan eating his pancakes. Ever since Chris could remember, his little brother had always seemed to have a bottomless pit for a stomach. He ate twice as much a kid his age should eat, yet he didn't ever seem to gain a pound. It was probably because of the constant running he had to do at his soccer practices. Ryan had been playing soccer since the 5th grade and continued to play in his sophomore year of high school. It seemed the perfect sport for him because he could finally burn off all of the energy he had built up inside of him.

That was one of the reasons Chris loved his baby brother so much. No matter what was going on, Ryan always seemed to be able to keep happy, upbeat, and full of energy. His energy and cheeriness could be sensed the moment he walked into a room.

Taking one last look outside the window, Chris left his room and made his way downstairs to the kitchen. He could already smell the pancakes as he walked into the kitchen where everyone was already seated and eating.

Wyatt and Ryan were seated next to each other and were digging in to their plates. His Aunt Paige was chatting with his mom and Aunt Phoebe was reading the morning paper and didn't seem to notice Chris walk into the room.

Phoebe had let her hair grow out again and now her curly brown hair grazed her shoulders. It was hard to tell she had aged at all because she was still in excellent shape and her face wore no wrinkles. The only thing that had really changed about her was her hair.

Paige however had gotten tired of her look, again, and changed it quite a few times over the past several years. The frequent dye jobs had left her hair blonde, red, and even pink for a few months. But after the constant nagging from Piper that she was too old to be dying her hair wacky colors, she had finally returned to her natural color and became a brunette once again. Like, Phoebe, she was still in great shape and it was hard to tell her age because her face hadn't changed a bit over the past years.

"Aww! You just had to come down Chris! I was just about to take your pancakes too!" Ryan exclaimed as he spotted his older brother enter the kitchen.

"Geez Ryan, way to show your brotherly love," Wyatt exclaimed from beside him.

"Well then Wyatt, why don't you show me some brotherly love and give me one of your pancakes?" Ryan replied with raised eyebrows.

"Because you already took half my other pancake when I had my back turned. Did you really think I didn't see that? I'm not stupid, Ry."

"Oh really, could've fooled me," Ryan sarcastically remarked with a grin before scowling at Wyatt after he hit him across the back of his head.

Chris grinned at the little quarrel between his brothers as he took a seat across from them. His mom, finally noticing that Chris had come into the kitchen, already began to fuss at him.

"Chris, why are you up so late? Did you come in late again last night?"

"No, I was just-"Chris began but was cut off by his mom again.

"How many times have me and your father been over this? What on earth are you doing every night? You cant just keep doing this Chris! Do you enjoy getting in trouble because you always seem to find it! After your grades from last year, you should be spending more time raising your grades. Wyatt and Ryan have no problem keeping their grades high and they both play sports!" Piper exclaimed to her younger son.

"Sorry mom," Chris mumbled while he fiddled with his fingers in his lap and kept his nervous gaze downward. It was a habit he had picked up over the years every time either of his parents yelled at him, which was about all the time. He felt the familiar feeling of guilt in the pit of his stomach as he continued to play with his fingers, "I didn't mean bother you. It won't happen again."

"That's what you said last time this happened, and the time before that, and the time before that! I can't even believe your words now Chris! I turn my back on you for a second and your getting yourself into trouble! What are we supposed to do with you?"

The feeling of guilt in Chris's stomach doubled as he looked away from his family and concentrated on a spot on the floor. He really didn't mean to get his mom and dad worked up by this. He was sure that they wouldn't even notice that he was missing so late at night and came in at dawn.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled again.

"Yeah, mom. Lay off Chris. I'm going to start tutoring him now that it's summer. By the time he goes back to school he'll be able to raise his grades. And plus, its summer vacation! Let him hang out late every once in a while. Let him have fun. Its what you're supposed to do during summer!" Wyatt said as he defended his brother.

This is what Chris appreciated most about his older brother. Wyatt always defended Chris when either his parents or aunts started to yell at him or every time he got into trouble.

Growing up in the manor, Chris seemed to always be the one who was the target of his parent's wrath. Ever since he could remember, his parents never seemed satisfied with him. Either they were yelling at him about his poor grades at school or didn't seem to notice him. It was probably the fact that he was pretty quiet around his parents and aunts and didn't really ask for their attention. And the fact that he had two perfect brothers didn't really help. Don't get it wrong, he loved both his older brother and younger brother to death. But being the middle child between an older brother who is the "twice-blessed child", straight-A student, captain of the football team, and a younger brother who is the baby of the family, captain of the soccer team, and the child who could do no wrong... let's just say that he usually wasn't the center of attention at the manor.

It meant a lot to Chris that his older brother actually noticed him and stood up for him when he was being yelled at.

Piper sighed, "Wyatt, this is between me, your father, and Chris." Even though she said that, she stopped fussing at Chris. She always listened to Wyatt.

"Ok, as much fun as this little breakfast was, I gotta be at the office in 30 minutes to finish the column. I hope you kick a few goals at practice today, Ryan!" Phoebe said as she rose from the table.

"Just for you Aunt Pheebs," Ryan replied with his famous innocent grin.

"Suck-up" Wyatt coughed into his hand as Ryan shot him a death glare.

"Hey! Be nice to each other!" Piper said as she broke the two up.

"We're gonna kick the other teams' ass this Saturday, aren't we Ryan?" Paige asked her youngest nephew with a grin on her face.

"Definitely! You should see the guys on this team. They're all slower than turtles!"

"Well I guess we'll see them at the game! See you guys later! Oh, I'm so gonna be late, gotta go!" Phoebe quickly scurried out of the kitchen holding a mug of coffee and her purse and soon the sound of the front door closing could be heard.

"Mom, I think we better go too. Coach Casey nearly blew a fuse the last time I was late for practice. Remember how red his face got? It was kinda freaky," Ryan said as he got up and grabbed his sports bag from the counter.

"Yeah, it was kinda scary. Well, let's not see a replay of that. Don't forget to grab an extra bottle of water from the fridge." Piper also stood from the table and grabbed the car keys. "Paige, you gonna come with us?"

"Sure, why not. I have nothing else to do, so why not give moral support?" Paige said as she got up and grabbed her sun glasses.

"Wyatt, weren't you and your father supposed to train with Excalibur this morning?" Piper asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Mom," Wyatt groaned, "Do I have too? You know how much I hate going up there. All the whitelighters and elders freak me out with their 'blessed be' crap."

"You know the answer to that. You're the one with the power to wield the sword. You should learn how to control it. Besides, the elders won't let you practice anywhere else with the sword. They're afraid someone else will take it."

"Aren't they supposed to be pacifists? So correct me if I'm wrong but shouldn't they be against bringing a large, deadly sword that can cause mass destruction to their main head quarters?" Wyatt asked.

"Very funny Wyatt. Now hurry up and go!. Your dad left like an hour ago! You told him you would go right after breakfast! You sat, you ate, your full, so now you go!" Piper sigh exasperated with her son.

"Fine, don't listen to your own son's needs. Just go with what the _elder's_ want. You know, the people who make our lives miserable every single day." And with that, Wyatt orbed out in a swirl of blue and white lights as Piper rolled her eyes at her son's cockiness.

"Practice. Me. Angry Coach. Gotta go, now!" Ryan reminded his mother as he grabbed the car keys from his mom's hands and walked out the door.

"Hey mister! I hope your not under the ridiculous impression that you are gonna drive after what happened last time!" Paige exclaimed as she followed her nephew out the door leaving just Piper and Chris in the kitchen.

"Ok, we'll be back in a couple of hours. Can you clear the table for me? And your father and I will talk to you about last night. Do you understand me?" Piper questioned her son with a look.

"Yes," Chris mumbled back while he avoided his mom's gaze.

Piper sighed and walked out the door, closing it behind her. Chris let out a breath that he didn't know he had been holding. He looked around the empty room and sighed. 'Alone.. Again.. What else is new?' he thought to himself as he began to clear the table and do the dishes. He should be used to this by now, right? I mean, it wasn't like it was a new concept for him. How many times over the years had he sat alone in the manor. Then why did he still feel so depressed?

After he finished the dishes, he quickly wiped his hands on his jeans and went to the fridge where he found a box of chocolates that he had bought and left in there the night before. After grabbing the box out of the fridge, he grabbed his wallet from the back pocket of his jeans and made sure he had some money in there. He found two twenty dollar bills. After tucking away his wallet back to its original spot, he orbed out of the kitchen in a mass of swirling blue and white lights.

He rang the doorbell and waited patiently as he shuffled his feet and glanced around the hallway of the apartment building. He heard footsteps behind the door and returned his gaze back at it.

The door swung open to reveal a beautiful woman with long black hair and tanned skin with a wide grin on her face.

"Hey, sweetie!" She exclaimed as she leaned over and kissed him sweetly on his cheek. "Come in!"

Chris smiled at her perkiness and walked into the apartment. The woman sat down on the couch and patted the seat next to her to motion for Chris to come over and sit down next to her. Chris grinned and sat next to her.

"Here, I brought you some chocolate. Your favorite. I know you've been craving for them so I bought you a pack after I left your place last night."

"Yay! I've been dying for these! You're the best!" She replied as she gave him a quick peck on the cheek before opening the box.

"Well, it's the only normal cravings you've had so far. What was the last one again? Pickle and peanut butter sandwich?" Chris asked making a disgusted face.

"Hey! Don't make fun of me! It's not my fault I get cravings! And as a matter of fact, pickle and peanut butter taste good together," she replied as she cuddled against Chris's chest and popped a chocolate into her mouth.

Chris wrapped his arms around her shoulder and smiled down at her.

After popping another chocolate into her mouth, she looked up to see him staring at her with a smile.

"What? Do I have chocolate on my teeth?" She asked.

"No, you're beautiful. You know how much I love you, right?"

"How could I not? You're the best boyfriend in the world. And in a few months, you'll be the best daddy in the world too!" She said as she put her hand over her 4 months pregnant belly and smiled. Chris also couldn't help but grin as he laid his hand over hers and rubber her stomach.

"I love you, Bianca, and I'll always love our baby."

TBC?


	2. Chapter 2

Hey guys! Thanks a lot to everyone who reviewed! I was kind of afraid that no one would like it. The reviews really encouraged me to write this chapter sooner that I planned to I hope you guys enjoy it!

Thanks to:

Shina

Zoned-out

Sickle Sword

Mugglewolf

Chapter 2:

"Hey, Bianca! The pizza's here!" Chris shouted after he paid the delivery man and shut the door behind him.

"Bring it into the living room! I don't feel like getting up!"

Chris smiled as he carried the warm box into the living room and saw her lying on the couch with her feet propped on the table. "Geez, the pregnancy sure brought out the lazy side of you."

"Hahaha, you're so funny Chris. You're not the one carrying another human being in your stomach!" She exclaimed.

"Wow, I guess it brought out the scary side of you too," he replied with a grin. He barely missed a flying pillow that was launched at his head as he placed the box on the table and sat down by his girlfriend.

"If you want to see scary, I suggest you keep talking."

"Ok, shutting up now."

"That's what I thought." She replied as she reached down and opened up the box to reveal a large pineapple and sardine pizza. She grabbed a slice and quickly began gobbling it down.

"I'm guessing this is one of your strange pregnancy cravings," Chris remarked as he glanced down at the pizza with a scrunched face.

"It's really good, Chris! Here, try one," she said as she handed him a slice.

"I think I'll pass," he replied as he shook his head.

Frowning, Bianca took a bite of the pizza and said, "Fine, more for me and the baby then!"

Chris quietly watched, as she continued to eat until she finally noticed him staring at her.

"Are you okay, sweetie? You've been quieter than usual. Did something happen at the manor? Did your parents see you orb in last night?" she asked with a concern expression across her face.

"No, I'm ok." He answered as he flashed her a reassuring grin.

She frowned back at him, "Chris, don't even think about raising that 'Everything is perfect' mask on me. It may work for your family, bet I know you better than that. You know I can read you like a book. Now, talk to me."

Chris knew she was telling the truth. Ever since he had met her 3 years ago, she was always able to see behind the face he put up and know that something was wrong. When they had first met, he had been slightly intimidated by her, since she was a year and a half older than him and was the most gorgeous woman he had ever met. But shortly after they had met, he discovered that she had feelings for him too and the two had hit it off from there.

About 4 months after they had started dating Chris had the shock of his life after he had walked in on Bianca shimmering into a room. The first thought that had popped into his head was, 'I fell for a demon. I guess the Halliwell tradition continues.' But after Bianca had finally managed to calm Chris down, they had sat down together and talked things out. He discovered that Bianca was in fact a phoenix, a group of assassin witches, but never took up the family tradition and chose to live life as normally as possible.

However, Chris was not the only one that had a huge shock. Bianca was astonished to find out that she had been dating the son of a Charmed One. Of course being a witch, she had heard all about the powerful Charmed Ones, but had never dreamed that she would fall in love with one of their sons.

Meeting Bianca was probably the best thing that had ever happened in his life. Up until then, Chris didn't really have anyone he could really talk to when he was upset or feeling ignored at the manor. Sure, he had his two brothers, but Chris had never felt comfortable talking to them about how he truly felt.

Up until the time he met Bianca, Chris had been bottling up all the emotions that had built up over the past years. His guilt, his depression, his pent up anger, the feeling of inferiority. Bianca was a way he could release his emotions and find some comfort in someone. This feeling of comfort only added to their relationship and his love for her.

"Piper got mad at me this morning at breakfast. I woke up late and she figured out that I came in late last night. Now, Leo and her are going to 'talk' to me tonight." He didn't really know when he began referring to his parents by their first name, but he knew it really showed the distance that had been created between him and his family.

Bianca sighed and put her arm around her boyfriend, "Its okay, sweetie. It'll be okay."

"No, it's not just that. Bianca, we can't keep hiding this from them," he said as he motioned to her stomach. "What happens once the baby is born? Do I keep sneaking out every night to be here with you two? I can't do that to the baby. I want to really be there for you two. But in order to do that, I have to tell my family the truth."

She closed her eyes for a second before opening them to look into his eyes which were full of confusion and worry. "I knew this would have to happen eventually."

"The only problem is," he sighed, "I'm afraid to do it. I mean, they nearly freak out when I come in late or when my grades are low or even when I accidentally drop a plate! Those are all small things and they still manage to get really angry at me! How are they going to react when I drop something huge on them like this?" He closed his eyes and put his face into his hands.

"Shhhh, its going to be okay," she comforted, "Remember, you're not alone. You've got me and the baby behind you all the way. Besides, we have at least 5 months to figure this all out. We'll think of something."

"I don't know what's going to happen, and that scares me. I don't want to bring our baby into the world when we still can't straighten everything out! I mean, where are we going to live? What if my family kicks me out? How are we going to get the money to raise a kid?"

"Chris, calm down. Everything will work out just fine. If your family decides they don't want us in the manor, then we can move out together and find another apartment big enough for the three of us. I mean, your going to be 18 in a few days and I'm already 19. We'll have no trouble renting an apartment. And, I have money saved up from before I quit my job and you have money from your part time job and your races. We can live off that until we find jobs."

Lifting his head from his hands, he turned to his girlfriend and smiled at her, "You always know what to say to calm me down."

She smiled back as she brushed some of his brown hair out of his eyes, "What can I say, it's a gift."

Chris glanced across the room to the clock that hung on the wall.

6:30 P.M

"I have to get back now. Leo's probably back by now, and I don't want another reason for him and Piper to yell at me some more."

Bianca smiled as he gave her a kiss on her lips, "Okay, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Do you want me to bring you anything? Perhaps some chocolate covered sardines, or a fish and jelly sandwich to satisfy you pregnancy needs?" he asked with sarcastic grin on his face.

"You're so funny Chris, really, I'm cracking up," she replied in a dead-panned voice.

"Okay, okay, I'll stop making fun of your taste in food."

"Thank you. So can you bring me some grape jelly from the grocery store tomorrow? I used the last of it on my eggs this morning." She told him sweetly.

Chris cocked his eyebrows.

"What? I ate my eggs like that before I was pregnant too!"

"Whatever you say," he replied sweetly as he gave her another kiss on her lips. He then looked down at her swollen belly and smiled. "Daddy will see you tomorrow, okay? Be good to mommy and try not to giver her morning sickness again." He bent down and landed a kiss on her stomach.

"I'll see you two tomorrow."

"Okay, bye sweetie." She responded.

With that said he orbed out in a swirl of bright blue and white lights.

* * *

"Honestly Chris, this is like the 10th time you've came in this late! Where the hell do you go out to in the middle of the night?!" Leo exclaimed as he stared at his younger son with anger and frustration in his eyes.

This made Chris squirm some more on the couch as he avoided his parents' glare. He focused on a juice stain on the floor. 'I'm surprised you guys even noticed.' He thought to himself as he played with a loose thread from the couch.

After he had orbed back from Bianca's apartment, he found the manor full and his mom making dinner in the kitchen. He tried his best to avoid either his father's or mother's attention, which really wasn't that hard, and sat alone in the attic reading the Book of Shadows. After he had been sitting there for a while, Ryan came in to give him some company. Ryan told Chris about his 'awesome kick' at practice until it was time for dinner. At dinner, he sat quietly pushing food around his plate as Ryan told everyone about soccer practice and Wyatt kept whining about how much he hated training with Excalibur in 'elder-land'. No one really noticed Chris's lack of participation in the conversations since he was never one to be a chatter-box with his family. Instead, he sat silently staring at his plate, dreading what was to come after dinner.

Once everyone finished eating, Chris quickly cleared the table and began with the dishes without being asked to. He didn't really mind doing it, since he was used to being the one left with the chore. And it didn't hurt that it could perhaps ease his parents' wrath, although he seriously doubted it. 'Who am I kidding? They probably don't even realize I'm doing it.' He had thought to himself. When everything was finally put away, Chris slowly entered the living room to find both his parents, ready to start the scolding.

"Your father asked you a question Chris! Where are you sneaking off to in the middle of the night? Are you going to parties? Oh my gosh! Are you doing drugs?!" Piper almost screamed as the possibility that her son was on drugs entered her mind.

At this, Chris lifted his head and stared at his mom with his mouth agape, "No, I swear I'm not doing drugs! You have to believe me on that!" he told them with pleading eyes.

"How can we believe you if you don't tell us the truth?! I can't believe we are even talking about this! We never had a problem like this with Wyatt! And, what kind of example are you setting for Ryan?!" Leo asked while waving his arms around to express his frustration.

Chris looked away again; the feeling of guilt and sadness was once again growing in his stomach. 'Of course this has to come back to Ryan and Wyatt. Everything does.' He said to himself.

"You are grounded for two weeks! No T.V, no orbing, no dirt bike, and no going out! Do you understand me?"

He nodded his head without looking up. 'Bianca's not going to like this.'

"I thought I was blessed to have at least two sons who don't cause trouble, but instead, you cause enough for the three of you!" Leo exclaimed.

Chris's eyes saddened at his dad's words and his guts churned. He tried his best to hide the pain the words caused him as he looked up at his parents and said, "I'm sorry, it won't happen again."

He felt the guilt in his guts work over time. 'Great, I cause them enough stress for the three of us.'

Piper sighed as she saw some of the distress her son was in, "You can go to your room now."

He glanced at his dad, who still looked frustrated at him, before getting up and leaving the room.

When he was half way up the stairs, he heard his dad's voice carry from the living room, "Why do I have a strong feeling that boy is hiding something from us?"

'You have no idea how right you are dad.'


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks again for all the reviews! I really appreciate them!

Shina- Well, she is still his mother.. She has to have some sympathy right? Glad you like

Zoned-out- haha... I agree, they are meanies! Thanks for the review

May-j- yup, Chris is gonna be a daddy. I personally think he will be a great daddy too! haha the family _will _find out Chris's secret eventually, to see their reaction.. well, you'll just have to keep reading to find out : )

Melissa-p- I'm glad you can relate to him I know how you feel about being ignored; I'm the youngest of five so i'm used to not being the center of attention too. I hope u keep reading and reviewing

DrewFullerFan4Life- I'm glad you like! This is my first charmed fic and only my second fanfiction fic so I was kinda nervous when I began writing this. I appreciate you reviewing!

Calen- Glad you're responding to my story you're on the right track in your thinking. You'll just have to keep reading to see what happens next and see how his family reacts Thanks for the review.

AJ6- Yeah, I know they are really supposed to be five years apart, but I thought it would be easier to write it if they were a little closer in age. Sorry about that. But I do agree with you about their age difference making their relationship seem more interesting. Thanks for the review

* * *

Chapter 3

"So, this is your last night of being 17 and a kid, how do you feel?" Bianca asked as she snuggled onto Chris's chest.

It was 11 o'clock at night and the couple was snuggling together on the couch of Bianca's apartment. It had been 8 days since his parents had grounded him, and he still had 4 days of his punishment to serve. Although the thought of lying to his parents just heightened the pent up guilt he had been feeling a lot lately, he also couldn't stand to leave Bianca and the baby alone in the apartment for two weeks.

"Hmm... I don't know. I guess it just feels kinda weird knowing that when I wake up tomorrow morning, I'll finally be considered a legal adult."

"Well believe it, you'll go asleep a kid tonight and wake up an adult in the morning. It's like magic!"

Chris had to smile at her bluntness of the situation. His smile however turned into a look of sadness as he was reminded of the time.

"I think I should leave now. When I left, Piper and Leo were sleeping and the Aunts were watching T.V in the living room with Wyatt and Ryan. I don't want them to know I'm not really in my room sleeping. That would just cause round 2 with my parents. I should've just dropped of the chocolate and left." Chris gently lifted Bianca's head from his chest and began to stand up.

Bianca pouted as she stared into his eyes, "Do you have to?" she whined.

Chris grinned, "I thought you were supposed to be the older one?"

Bianca sighed as her pout turned into sadness, "I just miss you when you're not here with me," she placed a hand on her swollen belly, "_We_ miss you."

Leaning down, he landed a soft kiss on her lips and caressed her cheek in his hands. Gazing into her eyes he said, "You know I'll always be there for you and the baby. Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere." He flashed her a reassuring grin.

She nodded feeling comforted by his words. "By the way, stop by tomorrow night at around 11. I have a surprise for you."

He raised an eyebrow at her, "A surprise? What kind of surprise might this be?"

"If I told you then it wouldn't be a surprise now would it?" she answered in her infamous sarcastic voice.

He shook his head and laughed. 'I hope the baby doesn't take after her with that.' Reaching down, he gently rubbed her stomach with a loving smile, "I'll be back tomorrow, sweetie. I promise," he whispered.

Straightening up, he gave Bianca a small wave and a smile before disappearing in a sea of blue and white orbs.

* * *

Chris awoke to the sound of his family hustling around downstairs.

'Something's going on down there.'

Yawning, he turned his head to stare outside his window and gazed out at the view. The sun was high up in the clear velvety sky. Off in the distance, he could see the tips of the high buildings that rose from downtown San Francisco and the high red beams that marked the Golden Gate Bridge.

"Another perfect day, huh?" he whispered to himself with a sad knowing smile as he silently allowed the flawless image to seep into his mind.

After another moment of soundless thinking, he finally rose from his bed and began stretching his tired limbs.

He glanced around his slightly empty room and let out a weary sigh. Chris was never one for decorating his room like his brothers were. Both Wyatt and Ryan's rooms were covered in sports and band posters and were constantly changing as the two boys grew up. Every time one of them had a sudden change in interests, it was mirrored by their rooms. Piper was constantly nagging at them to clean their rooms and make it look at least presentable, particularly Ryan's.

With Chris's room however, it was hard to tell that someone was even living in it, not to mention for 18 years. The walls were still the same dark bluish color they had been when he first moved into the room 18 years ago and were slightly peeling from its old age. The room held a dresser, a desk, and a bed. The only thing that had really changed about his room over the past years was his bed which went from a crib, to a small twin size bed, to his current queen size bed. If someone had walked into the room, the only way they would have known that the room was even occupied would have been from the trophies that were displayed on top of his dresser.

Ever since Chris had turned 14, he had had a fascination for Motocross. The speed, the intensity, the adrenaline rush that came from going off a big ramp. That was the year he had received his first bike from his grandpa who had stopped by from New York. That was also the last time he had seen his grandpa. Shortly after returning to New York, the family had received news that he had passed away from a sudden heart attack. Chris didn't like to linger on these memories too much since it brought him pain and sorrow.

Although his grandpa only came once a year to visit, every time he did come, he always took the time to hang out with just Chris and spend some time with him. This always meant a lot to him since he normally wasn't the center of attention at the manor.

He didn't know if it was the fact that his grandfather had gotten him started and supported his interest in the sport, but ever since then Chris had always enjoyed racing. It gave him a sense of comfort and a release from the stresses of life. About a year after he had first started, he began entering races and winning. At first he had just won simple little trophies, but soon as the competitions became bigger, so did the prizes. The awards went from helmets and free motocross gear to a couple of hundred dollars.

To his parents and aunts, motocross was just a little hobby that Chris had picked up over the years and they didn't think twice of it. Occasionally, either Wyatt or Ryan would come down to one of his races or ask him about a competition he had competed in, but otherwise no one else seemed to take notice.

Throwing on a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt, he took one last glance around his room before going out the door.

While walking down the hallway to the stairs, he ran into his Aunt Phoebe who was muttering to herself and didn't seem to know he was there.

He cleared his throat to finally catch her attention before greeting her with a, "Good Morning."

"Oh, hey Chris! Sorry didn't see you there. Been kinda hectic with the big day and all," she replied as she finally noticed the presence of her nephew.

Chris's heart leapt for a second, 'Did they remember my birthday?' Not wanting to get his hopes up, he cautiously asked, "What's so big about today?"

"You don't know? Ryan's been babbling about it for the past few weeks! You know the soccer semi-finals! Ohh, I wish I could watch him but I have to go to the big business meeting today!"

'What did you expect?' he thought himself as he tried to keep the disappointment out of his voice as he flashed his aunt a fake smile, "Oh, yeah... I uh- forgot about that..."

"Well, I'd love to stay and chat but I gotta get my purse from my room! If I'm late again, I won't even have a job to go to!" she exclaimed as she scurried past him to go into her room.

'Don't get upset, don't get upset- you shouldn't have jumped to conclusions in the first place,' he silently said to himself as he climbed down the stairs, trying to shake of his disappointment and sadness.

Entering the kitchen, he saw everyone was in a frantic race as they all scurried around the kitchen trying to get their task accomplished.

"Paige! I told you to put the drinks in the cooler ages ago! God, I hate being the mom in charge of refreshments. Leo, are you sure Wyatt will be ok coming to the game? I told you I didn't want him orbing to Valhalla alone! I don't care if he's the 'twice-blessed child' or not! Remember the last time we were there?" Piper exclaimed as she turned her frustration to Leo.

Leo sighed, "Piper, Wyatt will be fine. The elder's just wanted him to deliver a message for them. You're just worried because Wyatt made it seem like a life threatening mission. He's just annoyed because he thinks the elders just use him as an 'errand-boy'."

"If you say so..." Piper replied only half believingly. Noticing Chris enter the kitchen Piper pointed to a plate on the table and told him, "Your breakfast is getting cold, come sit down and eat."

He nodded half-heartedly and obeyed his mother's command as he slowly began eating his eggs.

The back door suddenly flew open as an annoyed and frustrated Ryan came flying through the door wearing his black and green uniform and carrying a duffel bag.

"My _wonderful_, _loving_ family; you know I love you guys with all my heart, but can you guys _be_ any slower?" he asked sarcastically as he tapped his feet on the ground impatiently and crossed his arms across his chest.

"Oh shush! We're moving as fast as we can!" Paige grumbled back as she went to put the cooler in the back of the car.

Ryan rolled his eyes at his aunt and turned his attention to Chris who was silently eating his breakfast, and grinned.

"Hey! You're finally up! I was going to wake you up, but Wyatt told me that if I did he would orb me into a lake again. Geez, a burst of sunshine, isn't he?" Ryan's smile turned into a frown when he noticed Chris wasn't ready, "Why aren't you ready yet?"

"Umm-"Chris began hesitantly , but was cut off by his dad.

"Because he isn't going," Leo replied for him as he reached for the car keys on the counter.

"What?! Why not?" Ryan asked as he turned to his brother who was staring intently at his breakfast, trying to avoid his younger brother's eyes.

"Because he's still grounded," Leo told him.

"I'm sorry Ry. I promise I'll try to go to your next game, okay?" Chris asked as he tried to lighten his brother's mood.

"Yeah, I guess. I just wish you could be there with me today... I'm kinda nervous," Ryan added with a sad smile. "Can't you make an exception for today, please?" he asked as he turned to his parents.

"I'm sorry you guys, but a punishment is a punishment," Piper replied as she looked at Chris who had gone back to picking at his food with a fork.

Leo looked between his wife and his two sons and sighed, "I think we better go before we're any later. And I bet Paige is getting annoyed sitting in the car."

Ryan nodded as he turned to his brother, "I guess I'll see you later, bro."

Chris smiled, "Okay. Try to relax; I know you'll do great."

Ryan grinned back before leaving the kitchen and walking out the back door.

"Okay, I'll see you later, Chris. Remember no leaving the house." With that said, Leo followed his son out the door leaving Chris and Piper alone in the kitchen.

"We'll be back at around 6 o'clock, okay sweetie? In case we're late, can you put the roast in the oven for me?"

"No problem," he replied with a weak smile.

Nodding her head, she grabbed her jacket off the chair and left with a final wave at her son.

Silence remained as he sat there picking at his eggs without taking a bite. The feeling of depression and loneliness threatened to completely wash over him as he sat there at the table, thoughts conflicting inside of him.

'What did you expect? For everyone to jump up and down and yell, "Surprise! Happy Birthday"? You didn't even tell them, how are they supposed to remember?'

'But should I really have to remind them that one of their sons were born 18 years ago today!?'

'Today was a busy day, with Ryan's match and Aunt Phoebe's meeting. It was an easy mistake.'

'Stop trying to justify the fact that your family just forgot you 18th birthday!!'

'No, I was just being stupid to put my hopes up thinking otherwise.'

'Yea, but I thought at least Wyatt or Ryan would remember....'

Closing his eyes and shaking his head he took a deep breath before opening them again, "Okay, stop thinking about it. It's no big deal; it's just another regular day. I'm okay with everything; it's no big deal." Even though he was saying this out loud, deep inside he knew he was lying and only trying to convince himself he was okay. Too bad it wasn't working......

'Just another thing to bottle up inside.'

After washing the dishes and putting them away, he climbed the stairs to the attic where he found the Book of Shadows as it always was. Walking over to where the book lay on the podium, he ran his hand across the worn-out cover and let it comfort him.

Whenever he felt upset or depressed, Chris always seemed to find comfort in reading the ancient book. To him, it was a connection to the family, his family. It made him feel like he _actually _belonged.

Before he got a chance to open the book and start to read, a sudden gust of strong wind whipped open the book and flip though the pages. When the wind finally settled down, Chris peered at the page the book lay open to and a wide grin spread across his face as he recognized the familiar page.

Walking over to the old cabinet where he knew the candles were stashed, he opened it and removed 3 candles. He placed the candles in a circle in the middle of the attic, lighting each one as he went. Once he was satisfied, he returned to his position behind the podium and read:

_Hear these words, hear my cry  
Spirit from the other side  
Come to me, I summon the  
Cross now the great divide_

Grinning, he looked up to see a mass of gold and white sparkling lights emerge in the circle and structure into a person. When the lights finally vanished, it left a translucent beautiful woman with long, black hair and a wide grin spread across her face.

Stepping out of the circle of candles and becoming solid, she opened her arms and said, "What? No hug for your absolutely favorite aunt?"

Laughing, Chris quickly stepped out from behind the podium and ran into her open arms. Wrapping his arms around her neck and feeling comforted, he replied in an affectionate voice,

"Hey Aunt Prue."

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

I had the idea for this story in my head for a while now, so I know how I want the story to go and what's going to happen. So I hope I don't offend anyone if I don't use their ideas.

Thanks to:

Melissa-p: yeah, I added Prue to the story so Chris could have at least one family member who he could really talk to. I'll try to update as fast as I can, thanks for reviewing!

Laura: Wow! Everyone seems to love Prue! As you'll soon read, Prue and Chris do share a close relationship where he can talk to her which I think is really sweet.

Zoned-out: This fic takes place in a future where Wyatt was never evil so Chris never went back in time. I'm glad you like my story; I'll try to update my story as soon as possible, but I think I'll have trouble doing it everyday (especially during the weekdays with school and all); but I promise to try and update as soon as possible. Chris's whole family is mean to forget his birthday, but later on in future chapters, they'll have their time to suffer the consequences.... Don't want to give away too much though... thanks for reviewing!

DrewFullerFan4Life: That's a really good idea, but like I wrote up at the top; I already know where I'm going to take this story and what's going to happen... sorry; but glad you like my story anyways

Queen of the Elven City: Like I told Zone-Out, this story takes place in a future where Wyatt was never evil in the first place so Chris never had to go back In time.... Basically, I'm making my own alternate future, haha... I'm glad you love it; it's great to know people like my story!

Shina: This chapter will fill you in on the relationship between Prue and Chris; yup, poor Chris.....but he's still got a LOT more to face in future chapters... don't want to give anything away though. Thanks for the review!

May-j: You'll just have to keep reading to find out what the surprise is... but she may not be the only one with surprises... okay, I'm gonna stop right there before I give away too much. I'll try to update as soon as possible.

Calen: Yup, he is eighteen now and pretty much free... you'll see where that takes him; thanks for the review!

Issi: thanks, glad u like!

Sickle Sword: If you don't like reading about Chris getting hurt, I suggest you stop here because he's got a LOT more to face in future chapters... but I hope u do continue reading because good stuff happen too!!! Dunt worry, I'm not mean enough to only cause him pain.... so keep reading and I'll keep writing!!

TimFitz21: That's a good suggestion... Chris _does _have a lot of built up emotions with his family that he will need to release.... You'll find out how he releases it in a future chapter, so keep reading; glad u like!

* * *

Chapter 4

Giving her nephew one last tight squeeze, the two released from their warm embrace as Prue caressed her nephew's cheek with a tender hand.

Stepping back and giving her nephew a glance over with her arms crossed, she smiled as she exclaimed, "Wow, you've grown so much since the last time I saw you. I can't believe you're getting so big!"

Grinning back at his aunt, Chris shrugged his shoulders as he replied, "Well it has been a few months, Aunt Prue... what did you expect?"

"It has been a while, hasn't it? Gosh I missed you so much," she told him affectionately as she lightly rubbed his arms, "But I've been watching over you, every chance I got."

Nodding his head knowingly he looked into her warm green eyes and felt comforted knowing she was with him.

"So birthday boy, the big eighteen! How was the day so far? Ohhh, I can't believe your eighteen already! You make me feel so old! Come sit down with me so you can tell me everything, and don't leave out any details!" Prue excitedly dragged her nephew across the room by his elbow and nudged him to sit down on the rugged couch before plopping down next to him. "So how was your day so far?" she repeated eagerly as she excitedly waited for his answer.

"Umm.... It was good..." Chris mumbled as he ducked his head down and avoided his Aunt's excited eyes. His stomach did a flip as he sat there fidgeting under her watch.

"It was good? Come on Chris! Anxious Aunt here and I want details! What did you get? Let me guess- Something big, shiny, with wheels and an engine? Am I right? I remember Wyatt getting his first car on his eighteenth birthday too. So did you get a car?"

Shifting uncomfortably in his seat, Chris didn't know how to answer her question. 'What am I going to say? I don't want her to know they forgot.... think, think, think...'

Still not looking up, he hesitantly replied, "umm.... not exactly......"

Frowning, Prue closely studied her nephew and noticed him fidgeting and refusing to look at her face. His slumped posture told her immediately that something wasn't right. Gently lifting his chin up with her hand and gazing into his face she asked with a concerned voice, "Sweetie, what's wrong? What happened?"

He could never hide anything from her; and truthfully, he never wanted to.

The first time she had ever tried to contact him was 6 years ago when he had come up to the attic in search of some comfort from the book after his mom and Aunt Phoebe had yelled at him. Watching over her young nephew, Prue had noticed the distress he grew up in and the depression that constantly loomed inside him. Wanting to be there for him and comfort him, she had guided him to find the summoning spell and came to her nephew's aid. After discovering her true identity, Chris had immediately bonded to his Aunt and constantly sought comfort from her. Knowing what Chris had been through growing up, Prue wanted to be there for him as an Aunt and let him know, despite what he thought, that he was never alone.

She didn't need for him to say anything; his expression told her everything. With a growing sense of pity and sadness for her nephew, Prue quickly enveloped him with a tight hug as she murmured words of comfort into his ear. Feeling Chris lean into the embrace only made her hold on tighter, "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry sweetie. Shhh.... I'm here for you... I'll always be here for you....It'll be okay."

After a few moments, Prue finally released him from the embrace but still had her arm on his back, rubbing small comforting circles.

"I didn't tell them so how were the supposed to remember, right? I'm just being stupid right now.... It's no big deal," he finally said as he relaxed under his Aunt's touch.

"Chris, don't say that. There is _no_ way this is your fault. You have a right to be upset- hell, I'm upset! I can't believe they forgot! Oh, if only I could yell at them and knock some sense into their heads! I mean, it's not even any birthday, it's your eighteenth! Gosh! Sometimes I can't _believe _how stupid and unthoughtful my own sisters can be, not to mention Leo!" Prue ranted as she flailed her arms for extra emphasis.

Chris had to smile as he watched his Aunt continue her rampage. She always knew how to comfort him even though she didn't know she was doing it.

Finally calming down a little, she turned to see her nephew smiling at her. "What's so funny?"

"Do you realize you say that every time you come down here?" he asked her with a grin.

Laughing too, she replied, "Well, it's cause I mean it! I mean I love my sisters and Leo, but seeing the way they treat you....sometimes I just want to confront them and yell at them for hours and hours! If it wasn't for the stupid elders, I would! No one treats my nephew like that and gets away with it, even if they are my sisters and my brother in law."

Ducking his head down with a grin, Chris glanced up at his aunt through his dark brown hair, "Thanks, Aunt Prue."

Ruffling his hair she replied, "Any thing for you, Chris."

After a moment of comfortable silence had passed between them, Prue suddenly jumped and exclaimed, "Oh! I almost forgot! I brought you something!" Reaching down into one of her deep pockets, her hand protruded with a small black box in it.

Giving her a curious look, Chris reached out and accepted the tiny box before opening it. His eyes widened as he stared at the object in the box. "Aunt Prue, how did you-"

She cut him off as she answered, "Don't ask.... It took a little persuading and asking around."

Shaking his head and closing the box, he tried to push it back into her hands, "I can't accept this, it's too much."

Prue gently pushed the box back into Chris's hands and held onto them as she looked him directly in the eye, "Chris, I _want_ to give this to you. You deserve this. I've been wanting to give it to you for a while but decided to wait until you turned eighteen. So take it, please?"

Nodding his head, he put the tiny black box into his pocket and he flashed his Aunt a loving smile, "Thanks, Aunt Prue."

"No problem, what are Aunts for if they can't spoil their nephew? So, how are Bianca and the baby? She's what, four or five months along now?"

"Four months, and they're both doing fine. Well, Bianca's been getting the occasional morning sickness and weird cravings, but that's all normal during pregnancy. We decided not to find out what the baby is yet; Bianca wants it to be a surprise," Chris informed her.

"Awww... how sweet! I wish I could be there when the baby is born... these are the times when I hate being dead." Prue sighed as she thought of her nephew holding his new-born baby in a few months.

Abruptly, she felt a familiar tug inside her body as she looked up at the ceiling with an annoyed expression written on her face, "Can't an Aunt spend a few more minutes with her nephew?!" This time, a more urgent tug pulled at her body, "Okay, okay I'm coming! Geez..." Turning to her nephew, she gave him a sad smile, "I guess my time is up."

Nodding his head with a look of disappointment across his face he answered her, "I understand."

Standing up, Prue reached over and gave her nephew another hug and whispered into his ear, "I'll be watching over you, so don't ever feel alone, okay?"

Releasing from their embrace, Chris nodded and gave her a weak smile, "Okay. Bye, Aunt Prue."

"Bye, Chris." With that said Prue stepped back into the circle of candles and became transparent once again. Before leaving, Prue glanced at Chris's pocket and smiled, "Good luck with that." Then in a dazzling display of white and gold lights, she disappeared.

Sighing, Chris bent over and blew the candles out before picking them up and returning them to the cabinet where they belonged.

Glancing down at his watch, he noticed the time that had passed and decided it would be best to start on dinner before his family returned.

Striding across the room, he took one last glance around the room and smiled; leaving the room happier than when he had entered.

After bounding down the stairs, he entered the deserted kitchen and immediately headed for the refrigerator. Opening the white door, he was met with a burst of cold wind as he searched the contents until he found what he was looking for and pulled out the roast. Crossing over to the oven, he preheated the oven and stuck the roast in before setting the timer. With nothing else to do but wait until his family arrived, he took a seat at the kitchen table and pulled out the tiny black box. Opening it, he stared at the object for a few moments with a wide grin across his face.

He must of dazed off because he was suddenly thrust back into reality with the sound of the front door opening and voices echoing throughout the manor. Quickly shutting the box with a snap and shoving it roughly into his pocket once again. He stood up and began to walk to the front door to greet his family.

He gave a quick glance at the ceiling,

'Here we go again...right Aunt Prue?'

* * *

TBC....

This chapter was the hardest for me to write so far (I got writer's block).. I don't think it turned out that great...sorry about that; tell me what you guys think.... I'll try to make the next one better.


	5. Chapter 5

Hey everybody, thanks for reviewing! All the reviews encouraged me to write more; there are too many reviews to personally reply to each one like I usually do, sorry about that. So, did anyone guess what Prue gave Chris? If not, you're about to find out in this chapter... so enough of me talking, here's the chapter

* * *

Chapter 5

As he walked into the foyer, he was met with his jumbling family as they all excitedly scurried around.

"That was one awesome goal you scored there, kiddo!" Paige exclaimed as she hung her coat on the rack.

"Who knew soccer could actually be kinda cool?" Wyatt asked as he patted his youngest brother on the back, "But it still isn't as great as football... remember that lil bro."

Ryan flashed Wyatt a grin as he smacked him on the arm, "You know you enjoyed it."

Piper laughed as she gave her son a tight hug, "I'm so proud of you! You were great today!"

"Yeah, you really knocked the other team down!" Leo exclaimed proudly with a wide grin plastered on his face as he patted his youngest son's shoulder.

"Well, the other team did suck," Ryan informed them as they all laughed.

Chris stood by the door, and took a moment to watch his family laugh and joke with each other with a sad smile before announcing his presence by clearing his throat. They all turned around as they finally noticed he was there.

"Hey Chris," Wyatt said as he greeted his younger brother, "sorry you had to miss the game. Turns out soccer doesn't suck as much as we thought it did. Go figure."

Chris flashed his older brother a grin as he made his way over to Ryan and gave him a pat on the back, "Congrats, Ry. Didn't I tell you there was nothing to worry about?"

Ryan had to laugh and nodded his head, "Yes you did. And I should've listened to you."

"That's a new one... Ryan _actually _listening to what either of his older, more _cooler _and _wiser_, brothers has to say." Wyatt teased as he avoided his youngest brother's swats.

Shaking her head at her quarreling sons, Piper chuckled, "Okay, break it up! Why doesn't everybody wash up before dinner?"

"Mom, come on! Do we have too?" Ryan whined as he flashed his mom a pleading look.

"Yeah, mom. Why don't we just forget all that washing up part and just get to the eating part," Wyatt added as put his arm around his mom's shoulder with a cheshire grin.

Piper shook her head as she brushed of her son's arm, "And here I thought all of my sons were finally grown up. Yes you have to! You guys reek! Now off you go!"

Wyatt and Ryan mumbled to themselves as they dragged their feet up the stairs, making sure to go extra slow to annoy their mom.

"I am so wiped out. I'm gonna grab a soda and crash in the living room. Call me when dinner is ready." Paige informed them with a yawn as she started to head for the kitchen.

"I'm with you, I feel like dead weight," Leo replied as he began to follow her lead.

"Well technically-"Paige began but was cut off by Piper.

"Hey! Where do you two think your going?" Piper questioned them with a raised eyebrow.

"Piper, did you not hear what I just said? I'm going to grab a sod-"Paige began but was cut short.

"I heard what you said! But did you guys not hear what I said? I said _everybody _wash up, and that includes you two! So move it along people!" Piper exclaimed as she pointed to the stairs.

"But Piper-"Leo began.

"I'm sorry, I thought there were only 3 kids in this house, now move it!" Piper commanded with an 'I'm not playing around' look.

Not wanting to see the wrath of Piper, both Leo and Paige scurried up the stairs after the boys and soon the sound of water running could be heard.

Shaking her head at her families' reaction, Piper turned her attention to Chris, "So, did you put the roast in the oven?"

Nodding his head, he replied, "Yeah, about an hour ago."

Smiling Piper gave her son's shoulder a gentle squeeze, "Thanks, sweetie." She turned around as she was about to leave to enter the kitchen when she turned around, "By the way, did Phoebe come in yet?"

Chris had his mouth open to reply when her question was already answered by the sound of the door opening.

"Hey, anyone home?" Phoebe's voice was carried throughout the house as she suddenly appeared from the entrance wearing her business suit. Spotting her nephew and sister she smiled as she asked, "So how did it go? Should I expect a happy, cocky nephew who is reeling from a win or a down and depressed nephew who is in need of his favorite aunt's comforting?"

Shaking her head Piper sniggered, "Yes, he won. Now hurry up and get changed, we're having dinner soon."

"Yay! Ohhh, where is my lil' nephew?! Ohhh, he's gonna have to tell me every detail!" Phoebe squealed as she ran up the stairs in search of Ryan.

Piper rubbed her ears that were still ringing from her sister's shrieks, "Now I see where Ryan gets his perkiness from." Chris gave his mom a weak smile as he watched her leave the room and enter the kitchen to finish preparing dinner.

As soon as his mom left, Chris's fake smile dropped. Looking around the empty foyer, Chris tried to shake off any leftover depressed feelings he had inside of him, 'Come on, the days almost over. Be happy for Ryan, be happy for Ryan,' he repeated to himself.

Instead, he let out a deep heavy sigh, 'Only a couple of hours left.... Just keep a smile up through dinner and the day will be over.' Closing his eyes for a few seconds he suppressed all of his emotions and bottled them up inside of him; opening his eyes, he put up his fake smile and joined his mom in the kitchen to help.

* * *

As everyone settled down at the table and began piling up their plates, the conversation remained a steady stream as it revolved around the match.

"So, you kicked the winning goal?" Phoebe asked for the millionth time as she continued to spoon the mashed potato onto her plate.

"Aunt Pheebs, no matter how many times you ask that question, the answer still remains the same. So can you please hand me the mashed potato before it all ends up on your plate?" Wyatt questioned his aunt annoyed as he reached over and grabbed the bowl from her hand.

"Hey, be nice to you aunt!" Leo playfully scolded his son as he accepted the bowl of potatoes from him.

"Mom, can I pick the movie for tonight?" Ryan asked as he reached for the bread.

"Sure, sweetie. Today is your day," Piper replied as she began cutting the roast.

During the whole conversation, Chris had remained silent and put up his usual blank face and flashed his fake grin every once in while, but at his mother's words his smile dropped and he had to cringe a little, 'Ouch, that hurt.'

The rest of dinner, Chris didn't feel like putting up a smile and compromised by just staring down at his plate until he heard his family start to stand up. He looked up and saw his mom start to clear the table.

"Piper, you want a hand with that?" Phoebe offered as she moved to help her sister.

"Here, I'll help too," Leo announced as he stepped forward.

Piper shook her head and swatted them away, "No, I've got it. You guys just go ahead and get snacks and blankets for the living room. I'll be there in a minute."

"Are you sure?" Paige asked as she gave her sister a look.

Piper swatted them away, "Yes! Just go into the living room and make sure Ryan and Wyatt aren't fighting over the movie."

Finally giving up, the three left the dining room and headed to the living room where they heard Ryan and Wyatt bickering.

Sighing, Piper resumed clearing the table and grabbed a few plates before leaving for the kitchen.

Standing up, Chris followed his mom's lead as he too grabbed a few plates and left for the kitchen.

Walking over to the sink where his mom had already begun washing the dishes and pans, Chris placed the plates in the soapy water and grabbed a sponge as he started to wash the dishes beside his mom.

Looking up from her work, Piper was surprised to see him, "Chris, why aren't you in the living room?"

He shrugged, "I thought you might need some help."

"That's sweet, but you don't have to," Piper insisted as she took the plate Chris was washing. She began scrubbing it as a yawn washed over her, and she failed to hide it.

"Here, let me do it. You had a long; why don't you just go into the living room with the others?" Chris persisted as he took back the plate.

As another yawn over came her, Piper tried to stifle it, "Are you sure, sweetie?"

He nodded his head with a smile as he gave his mom a gentle push towards the door, "Yeah, I can handle it. You just relax."

Nodding her head, she flashed her son a grateful smile before leaving the kitchen.

Turning back to the full sink, he resumed his scrubbing as the sound of the television could be heard in the background. After another twenty minutes of silent work, he was left with pruny fingers and a cabinet full of clean dishes.

Wiping his hands dry on the dish towel, he turned his head to the kitchen clock,

10:45 P.M

Turning around he headed out of the kitchen as he turned the lights off behind him and silently entered the living room where he leaned against the door frame. Staring unnoticed by his family, he watched them with a sad smile. Piper and Leo were cuddled on one couch and Wyatt was leaning on his Aunt Phoebe on the other. Both Paige and Ryan were lying flat on their stomachs on the floor and were propped by their elbows.

Inside of him, there was a battle between being glad to see his family so happy and blissful; and being distressed that he couldn't be a part of it.

'Wow, they look like a happy normal family...' he thought as he continued to watch them enjoy each other's company. His stomach churned and did a flip, 'yeah, because I'm not there to screw it up.'

Before anymore of his emotions could get the best of him, he quickly shook his head and took one last glance at his family before silently climbing up the stairs. Once he had entered his room, he reached into his closet and pulled out one if his white button up shirts and put it on.

Straightening up, he took in a big nervous breath and closed his eyes for a second to clear his mind. Opening them he let out his breath and rolled his shoulders to relieve some of the tension. Feeling the weight in his pocket, he looked up at the ceiling and whispered,

"I hope you're watching me right now, Aunt Prue."

With that said, he vanished in a swirl of bright lights.

* * *

When reaching the door to her apartment room, Chris was surprised to see a piece of paper attached to it with his name written on top. With a curious look, he detached the paper and unfolded it:

_Meet me on the roof....._

_-Bianca_

Smiling at the note, he shook his head. Looking around the abandoned hallway, he made sure it was clear before orbing out to the roof.

The first thing he noticed when he reappeared was the blanket spread out on the ground with two plates and a bouquet of roses set on it. He grinned as he walked over to it; his smile was soon turned into a frown when he noticed Bianca wasn't there. His mind already panicking, he began to call out her name, "Bianca?"

"_Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you."_

Chris spun around as he heard her voice and was stunned to see her standing there with a cake in hand, the lights from the candle flickering and illuminating her face. She had a huge grin on her face when she saw his reaction but continued to sing,

"_Happy birthday dear Chris, happy birthday to you." _

Walking over to her now grinning boyfriend, Bianca whispered, "Make a wish."

Chris looked at her lovingly, "I don't need too. You're here with me... that's all I need." With that said, he blew out the candles and leaned over to giver her a kiss. "Thanks."

Bianca's cheeks grew red, "No problem, sweetie. Come on, sit down so we can eat." Kneeling down, she place the cake on the blanket and motioned for him to sit down too.

Once he was settled down next to her she cut the cake into two slices before putting them on two plates and giving one to him. Leaning onto his shoulder, the two silently ate as they gazed up the night's sky which was filled with gleaming stars that shined down on them.

"Gosh, I wish we could stay like this forever," Bianca whispered as she was mesmerized by the night's beauty and snuggled deeper into her boyfriend's arm.

Chris looked down at her with a small smile tugging at his lips, "Do you really mean that?"

She looked up at him with a bewildered smile, "Of course I mean that!"

Putting his plate down gently, he stood up and held a hand out to help her. She looked at him confused before taking it as she was lifted to her feet.

"Chris, what are you-"She began but was cut off.

"Let me say something," he told her as he took a deep breath, "Bianca, I love you more than anyone or anything. You've always been there for me, no matter what. When I was depressed and felt like giving up, you were there by my side giving me comfort. When I felt like I was alone in the world and abandoned, you stuck with me and showed me otherwise. No matter what, you were there for me. And now we're going to do the best thing we ever can and have a baby. I want you to know that no matter what happens, for better or worse, I'll always be there for you and the baby. I'll never stop loving you."

With that said, he reached down into his pocket and pulled out the tiny black box. Kneeling down on one knee, he opened the box revealing a dazzling diamond engagement ring. Bianca just stood there, stunned into silence.

"Bianca, will you marry me?"

Tears began to stream down her face as she nodded her head frantically, words not being able to form in her mouth. Chris smiled as he slipped the ring onto her finger and stood up; giving her a tight embrace which she instantly returned.

"I love you too, Chris... I love you too," she whispered into his ears as she continued to hold onto him and silent tears ran down her cheek.

Chris smiled as he looked over her shoulder and into the night's vast sky. One of the stars, winked back at him,

'Thanks, Aunt Prue... I owe you..'

And for that moment, everything was okay as the couple was unaware of the pain and tragedies that waited ahead of them.....


	6. Chapter 6

Hey everyone! Sorry for the late update, but I was sick- then I had to go to school and do all the makeup work... so basically this week sucked for me...Thanks to everyone that reviewed! Keep reviewing please!

Chapter 6

A week had passed since the proposal and Chris's 18th birthday, and still no one in the manor had said anything about it.

But Chris didn't have time to think about this with other things constantly pressing at his mind. With his recent engagement and Bianca's ever growing stomach, he knew that the time to break the news to his parents was vastly approaching.

Although he was ecstatic that he was going to finally be with the woman of his dreams and become a true father to his future child, his constant nerves kept playing with his mind as he nervously waited for the right moment. Constant nightly visits to Bianca's helped ease his nerves a little as the two planned out their future together with large grins on their faces. The couple had already agreed that their wedding would take place after the baby was born, regardless of how Chris's family reacted.

"Chris! Earth to Chris!" Wyatt called his brother as he waved his hands in front of Chris's face.

Snapping out of his trance, Chris whipped his head around to face his older brother, "Sorry, Wy. What were you saying again?"

Frowning, Wyatt put a hand to Chris's forehead then lowered it, "Are you alright bro? You've been zoning out a lot lately. What's up?"

Lowering his head, Chris hastily replied, "Nothing, I'm fine." Raising his head, he gave Wyatt a small grin to reassure him.

Looking a bit skeptical, Wyatt finally relented, "I said I was going out to the mall with some friends. I won't be back till later tonight because I have a date with Cecilia."

Nodding his head, Chris answered, "Uhm, that's fine. Have a good time."

Studying his younger brother, Wyatt could see that something wasn't right, "Are you sure you don't want me to stay? I can just call and cancel-"

But Chris cut him short, "Don't worry about me. I'm just going to hang around and watch some T.V probably. Besides, Mom, Aunt Phoebe, and Paige will be back from the mall later. Ryan and dad should be here anytime too. I'll be fine."

"Alright then, I guess I'll see you later lil' bro." With that said Wyatt rose from his seat on the couch and headed out to the front door.

After hearing the slam of the door closing, Chris released a huge sigh as he sunk into the couch. Closing his eyes, he put his face into his hands and remained like that for a few minutes. The silence of the manor was actually relaxing; for once, being alone didn't bother him.

The past week had left him exhausted. The constant worry about telling his parent's the truth, late night visits to check on Bianca and the baby, then getting up early to make sure no one in the manor found out he was sneaking out. His mind was already being affected with the lack of sleep and stress.

Lifting his head, he shook his head a few times to clear his mind. Looking up at the clock, it read 4:53 P.M.

He had lied to Wyatt when he said that everyone should be here soon. No one would be home for a couple of hours at least. However, the fact that his older brother was actually concerned about him did feel good. Constantly worrying about the well being of Bianca, the baby, their future, money, getting an apartment- it was just nice to have someone worry over him for a change.

Although technically he had only been an adult for a week, it felt as though he had been one his whole life. Since he was little Chris had always been self-sufficient, learning to deal with things on his own and without his family. From an early age he knew he was different from his two brothers, the way his parents and aunts treated him. It had hurt when he realized this, and the pain was still there in his heart; flaring up occasionally.

Leaning his head back, Chris let his heavy eyes close as he was able to unwind for the first time in days.

Just when he was finally about to doze off, he shook himself awake.

'I should go check up on Bianca while I have the chance.'

Sighing, he got up onto his feet and stretched his sore limbs.

Before he changed his mind and fell into the inviting look of the large warm couch, Chris orbed out in a dazzling display of colorful lights.

* * *

"Are you okay sweetie? You look exhausted!" Bianca exclaimed as she led Chris into her living room.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Chris answered as he plopped down on the couch and Bianca sat next to him.

Scowling, she replied, "Don't lie to me Chris. Have you not been sleeping? Is it because you're coming to see me? Didn't I already tell you not to come every night! Jesus Chris, why do you have to be so stubborn! Do you want to see me lose it! Because I am THIS close to losing it!"

Looking alarmed at her outburst, Chris just stared at her for a minute before a look of regret and guilt crossed his face. "I'm sorry Bianca; I didn't mean to worry you. I just didn't feel right leaving you alone everyday."

Immediately regretting her outburst, Bianca mentally scolded herself. 'He gets yelled at enough in his own home; what the hell am I doing?'

Leaning over and giving him a tight embrace she answered, "I am so sorry Chris; I didn't mean to snap at you like that. It's not your fault at all sweetie. All these hormones are making me kinda crazy I guess."

Releasing from their hug, Chris nodded understandingly, "its okay, I understand. But I don't want you to stress yourself out; think about the baby too, okay?"

A sad smile spread across her face, "Chris, when are you going to start thinking about yourself for once? You're always trying to help other people, but you need to try and consider yourself too. I know you're trying to help, but putting all the stress onto your shoulders isn't healthy."

Shaking his head, Chris flashed her a smirk, "Don't worry Bianca, I can take care of myself okay? You just worry about yourself and our baby." Saying this, he leaned down and landed a kiss on her belly, "Hey there baby; did you know your mommy is a worry-wart? I bet she'll have grey hair by the time she's thirty."

Laughing, Bianca smacked Chris on the arm, "Well I won't if your father quits being such a smart ass!"

Chris gasped as a look of mock horror crossed his face, "Our child isn't even born yet and here you are setting a bad example! You should be ashamed of yourself!"

Chuckling she replied, "Oh shush, you're over reacting. Besides, the baby is getting hungry which causes the mommy, which would be me, to get very cranky."

"You're hungry? Hmm... What do you want to eat?" Chris asked as he straightened himself up.

Looking thoughtful, Bianca finally answered, "Fried chicken, some mashed potatoes, and some chocolate mousse."

Frowning, he tried to think where he could find all that food, "Umm... How about we go over to my place and I'll cook up some frozen chicken nuggets and fries?"

Nodding her head in agreement, "That would work... What about the chocolate mousse?"

"Hmmm... Does jell-o chocolate pudding cups work?" he asked sounding skeptical.

"Yeah, that'll do it," she nodded with a smile but then an idea crossed her mind, "What about your family?"

"Its fine, they won't be home for a while. We'll just eat quickly before I drop you back here."

Sounding satisfied, she reached out her hand, "Alright then, beam me away!"

Rolling his eyes, he grabbed her hand and orbed them away in bright orbs.

* * *

"Oh my gosh, I feel so stuffed. I think I need to sit down," Bianca exclaimed as she plopped herself down on the couch and put her feet up.

Standing over her, Chris snickered, "I'm not surprised! Geez, I've never seen anyone eat like that! That's saying a lot considering I live with Ryan!" Gesturing down at her stomach he asked, "Are you sure the baby has room in there? I think your stomach is suffocating our child."

Glaring up at her fiancé, she replied, "Well Ryan doesn't have to eat for two! Or constantly chuck out yesterdays dinner into the toilet, so don't you be comparing me to Ryan mister!"

"I'm just kidding! Wow, you're hormones are starting to scare me," Chris told her as he held his hands up in a defense.

Reaching up suddenly, she pulled Chris's arms until he fell on top of her and trapped his lips with hers. Smirking, she replied, "You know you love me."

Readjusting himself so he wouldn't squish the baby, he straddled her and captured her warm lips again as he inhaled her sweet aroma, "Always and forever."

As the two lovers were engrossed in each other's love and continued to passionately kiss, they never heard the front door open or the footsteps that followed into the living room until it was too late.

"What the hell is going on here!"

Jumping at the sound of a booming voice, the two jumped off of each other and spun around to see the rest of the family, excluding Wyatt, staring back at them from the doorway.

Nervously standing up, Chris looked at his families' mixed expression of both shock and anger. A strong sense of dread, fear, and panic filled his gut. All the emotions were so intense that he almost felt like gagging.

"Hi, I didn't know you guys were coming back so-"Chris began anxiously as his gaze fell to the ground, afraid to meet his parent's eyes and see their disappointment, but was quickly cut off by his father's booming voice.

"Your mother asked you a question, Christopher! Now answer her!" Chris visibly flinched at his father's harsh tone

"I uh- I was just... well, me and-" Chris began stuttering, his anxiety and nerves working overtime.

"You were just what! Making out with a girl in the house with nobody home! What were you thinking! Are you out of your mind!" Piper screamed at her son, as she flailed her arms around.

"You're supposed to set an example for your younger brother Chris! What are you showing him acting like this?" Paige asked as she too joined in. Looking helpless, Chris just fidgeted as he looked nervously at his feet.

Ryan, remaining quiet until now, finally decided to speak, "Hey! That's not fair! Chris isn't my caretaker! He should be allowed to do what he wants!"

Shaking her head, Phoebe put a hand on his shoulder, "Ryan, maybe you should go upstairs. This isn't about you."

"But this isn't fair! Chris didn't do anything wrong!" Ryan exclaimed, getting angry at the way his parents and aunts were acting towards Chris.

"Ryan, listen to you aunt! This isn't about you!" Piper exclaimed frustrated.

"Chris, do you ever think before you act! Or do you like getting into trouble!" Leo screamed as he turned his attention back to Chris.

Before Chris could even open his mouth, a voice had already cut through.

"This isn't Chris's fault, and you have NO right to yell at him!" Bianca bellowed back from her seat on the couch. The whole while, she had tried to restrain herself from doing something stupid, but this was too much. Her whole face red with anger, she stared at the family with venom in her eyes.

Everyone stared at the stranger for a second, forgetting she was even there, and were shocked by her outburst.

"Who the hell are you!" Piper asked with annoyance in her voice.

"Mom!" Ryan cried out, shocked at his mom's coldness.

"Do any of you even think before you all immediately jump down Chris's throat? Jesus Christ! Let him explain before you start screaming at him! Maybe if you actually listened and _pretended _like you give damn, then he would tell you stuff! No wonder he doesn't like talking to you people! You're freakin' impossible!"

"Bianca, its okay; calm down," Chris said in a soothing tone tuning towards her. He was afraid all the stress would hurt the baby.

"I think you should leave, this is a _family_ discussion... you know for family members only," Paige notified her as she too stared at the young lady in front of her.

"Well, in case you haven't noticed; I'm carrying one of your future family members in my uterus!" Bianca stated sarcastically as she stood up next to Chris who had his eyes closed, bracing himself for what was to come. Standing, everyone in the room had a clear view of her protruding belly.

There was a stunned silence... no one spoke. Shock was evident on everyone's face as all eyes lay fixed on Bianca's stomach.

However, there was a rapid growth of tension in the air that indicated the incoming impact soon to come. The thick air enveloped the occupants of the room, signaling the storm soon to come.

Getting clammy, Chris was filled with intense anxiety that was suffocating him. Fear, angst, apprehension- all burning a hole through his guts. The storm was coming, he already knew it; that wasn't what scared him. The fact that there was nothing he could do to stop it; that's what scared him.

Feeling a warm, encouraging hand wrap around his, he lifted his head and looked beside him to see her smiling at him with a heartening look.

She didn't have to say a word- he knew what she was telling him.

In that second he gazed into her smiling eyes, he knew... he knew deep inside of him what she had known all along; no matter what happened tonight- it wouldn't matter... it wouldn't affect them... because in the end, everything would be ok.

With new hope filling inside of him, it gave him the courage to straighten up and look straight into the faces of his family. A warmth finally spreading within him, he was able to look at Bianca and flash her a smile- a real genuine smile that held no sadness behind it.

Giving her hand a tight squeeze, he turned and faced his parents with a solid stand.

'I think I see the light at the end of the tunnel...'

TBC…


	7. Chapter 7

Thanks for all the reviews and encouragement! Sorry for the late update though.... School's got me kinda stressing; here's the next chapter.... hope u like!!

* * *

Chapter 7 

"I can't believe this..." Piper whispered as she looked like she was about to faint. Paige, who was standing behind her with a stunned look, quickly put a hand on her shoulder to steady Piper's swaying body.

"Chris, I-"Ryan began as he opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't seem to get a sentence out, so he just shut his mouth and continued to gape at his brother and Bianca.

Chris shifted uncomfortably from one foot to another as he glanced around at each of his family's faces. There was definitely shock in all of their faces, that much was apparent. But the most evident look of all was coming from his father who locked eyes with him.

Chris gulped as his father's intent look sent chills down his spine. Anger, without doubt; shock; aggravation; disappointment; and was that... pain? With all these strapping emotions rousing inside of him, Leo's face was turning a violet color at a shocking rate.

'Oh hell.... This is gonna get ugly,' as this thought entered his mind, Chris's initial worry was for the well-being of his fiancé and his unborn child. There was no way that Leo's roaring yells were good for either of them.

He turned to Bianca and was about to speak when the sound of the front door opening was heard, and Wyatt's voice carried through to the living room.

"Anybody home?" Wyatt's head was seen as he turned around the corner to step into the room where he suddenly froze. There was definitely something wrong in here. He saw his family surrounding his brother and some girl, all with stunned faces, and in his father's case anger. Even as he entered the room, no one turned their head in his direction but kept their attention focused on Chris and.... Wyatt's eyes widened with realization.

"Bianca? Huh? What's going on here? Are you two still dating? Why is everyone frozen?" Confusion was evident on his face, but quickly altered into a look of great surprise as his eyes wondered from everyone's faces and traveled down to Bianca's swollen stomach. Looking up uneasily to look at his brother's face, he asked in a shaky voice, "She's pregnant."

Letting out a trembling breath, Chris nodded his head as he ran his fingers through his long brunette hair.

Hearing what Wyatt had said caused all three sisters to snap their head in Wyatt's direction as they all angrily exclaimed, "You knew?!"

"You knew about this and didn't bother to tell me, your _mother_?" Piper asked with disbelief mixed in with her ever growing anger.

Quickly feeling everyone's anger building, Chris tried to divert the direction it was being shot at from Wyatt to himself.

"He didn't know.... I didn't tell anyone; it was just me and Bianca."

Wyatt stared at his younger brother with gloomy eyes, wondering why his brother hadn't come to him for help.

"But you knew about Bianca? How else did you know her name?" Phoebe questioned her oldest nephew as her head was pounding from all the drama in one night.

"I- I met her a couple of years ago when I went to pick Chris up at school. I didn't really think anything about it... I just assumed they broke up a long time ago...." Then turning his head to look at Chris with pained eyes, asked, "Why didn't you tell me? I could've helped you... You didn't have to go through this alone..."

Ducking his head down, Chris couldn't look at his oldest brother's eyes... he didn't mean to upset Wyatt- he hadn't thought about that happening.

Clearing his head once again, he looked up into his fianc's eyes and could already see the stress that was taking a toll on her from just being in this room, full of tension.

"Bianca, you should go. I can handle this; just rest for a while. I'll be there later to check on you ok?" Chris put a reassuring arm around her, but she only stared back at him with uncertainty.

"It's okay Chris, I'm fine. I-" Bianca began but was cut short.

"Let me talk to my family by myself... Don't worry, I'll handle it," He gazed at her with pleading eyes.

Looking uneasy and uncertain, her eyes roamed around the room before falling back to his. Bianca could already tell she was going to fight a losing battle by her fianc's determined look.

"Alright, if you say so..." Leaning in and wrapping her arms around his neck, she whispered comforting words, "I'm always here for you... remember that."

Releasing from their embrace, Chris nodded his head to show his understanding. With one final glare at the rest of her future in-laws, Bianca shimmered out.

The sudden departure seemed to snap all the other occupant's of the room out of their shocked shell and anger replaced some of their places.

Piper let out a dark chuckle as she shook her head in complete disbelief and anger, "You have GOT to be kidding me... You're engaged? Fine! You're gonna be a daddy? Great for you! But with a demon?!?! Are you out of you're mind?!?! What the hell is wrong with you!!"

"I thought you had better judgment than that Chris! You just dug yourself a ditch which you aren't going to be able to get out of!! I don't even know how we're going to be able to fix this?!" Paige cried as she shook her head in utter disappointment.

Unlike her two other sisters, Phoebe was familiar with this topic being married to the former source and carrying his heir. Looking at her nephew's sullen face, she immediately tried to calm the tension in the room.

"I think we should all take a deep breath and calm down. I know this is.... well- unexpected; but yelling at Chris for something that's already happened isn't going to help anyone. Things can be worse."

Piper huffed in exasperation as she looked at her sister, rage in her eyes, "We're not talking about dropping a plate, or forgetting to clean his room here Phoebe!!! He got a girl pregnant, a demon in that case; he's engaged; and he didn't even bother to tell us!!!! So DON'T tell me to calm down when my son just possibly screwed his life up!!"

Hearing this, Chris raised his head and stared at his mother, "First of all, she's NOT evil; second, my life is going to be fine; and third, when have you guys ever even _given_ me a chance to talk with any of you?"

"You're life is going to be fine?! Don't kid yourself! You got a girl pregnant Christopher!!! Do you have any idea how this is going to affect your life?! What are you going to do about school?!" Piper babbled as anger crazed her mind.

Shaking his head, Chris let out a dark, harsh laugh, "School? Why should I even go to school?! So I can get good grades and bring it home to show my parent's who won't even give a crap?!"

For the second time that day, everyone was stunned. Chris had never talked back to anyone-_ever._

Leo was the first to get back to his senses as his face began to turn livid and his disappointment was clear in his voice as he spoke, "Don't you DARE talk back to your mother Christopher!! She isn't the one who went out and got a demon pregnant!! Of all the stupid things you've ever done, this is by far your biggest screw up!! I can't even begin to comprehend what you were thinking!! Is it your goal in life to see how bad you can shatter everything?!?! Because you've been screwing up all our lives since the day you were born!!!!!"

There was a big collective gasp from everyone as the words hit hard. Even Piper, who was furious at her son, knew Leo had gone too far.

"DAD!!" Wyatt and Ryan cried out together as they were appalled by their father's harsh words.

Chris just stood there rigidly, his jaw set tight and his eyes threatening to fill with tears as pain, anger, and frustration clouded them. By his sides, his fists were balled into tight quivering fists and the knuckles were flushed white with the strain. Digging his nails into his palm, he could feel the tiny drip of liquid as he drew blood.

However, Leo didn't take notice of anything as his pent up rage was finally being released and blinding him from the reality of his harsh words and the toll it was taking on his son. Continuing with his onslaught, Leo spat out cold words, "This is just freaking unbelievable!!! I don't know what the hell we did wrong raising you, because you sure as hell didn't turn out the right way!!!"

Fighting fire with fire, Chris raised his head and glared into his father's eyes with rage and pain, "Raised me? Ha, is that what we're calling it now?! Because last time I checked, it was called NEGLECT! The right way? Well, who am I to match up with your other perfect sons?! Maybe if you noticed my existence, I wouldn't have turned out to be such a SCREWUP!! Whose fault is all this anyway?!?! If you guys didn't freakin' WANT me, then you shouldn't have screwed up 18 years ago and slept together!! Cause it would've saved all of you the pain of dealing with me, and I wouldn't have had to suffer being everyone's last priority!!!"

::SMACK::

Chris's head was whipped harshly to the right as his father's hand struck his cheek, leaving a throbbing pain behind.

Wyatt and Ryan quickly rushed over to their brother, as Wyatt shoved Leo out of the way in immense anger and gave him a cold glare that sent a chill down Leo's spine.

"LEO!!! What the hell do you think you're doing?" Paige exclaimed as she glared at Leo in disgust as she too hurried over to tend to her nephew, a new pain growing in her heart.

Phoebe was running a reassuring hand across Piper's back, as tears were silently falling down her cheek and her hand was over her mouth stifling a cry. In truth, Phoebe was also suppressing the tears that were welling in her eyes. What had been going on these past few years? Had they all really been so blind?

Leo was in utter shock..... the second his hand had made contact with his son's face, immense regret filled his heart. Staring at his hand, which was still red and stinging from the contact, to his son's face which was beginning to bruise- a new kind of ache, began in his heart as his stomach clenched in guilt... what had he done?

Standing there stiffly, with his eyes clenched close, Chris ignored his brothers and Aunt who were trying to get a response from him. The throbbing in his cheek was hurting him; the pain in his heart was killing him. Finally lifting his head, Chris opened his eyes to see his father.

'I finally pushed him over the edge...'

"Chris, talk to me- please," Wyatt called to him as desperation and tears were choking his voice. He was his older brother, how the hell had he not known?!

"I'm so sorry.... I- I didn't know how you felt.... I had no idea..." Ryan began but couldn't finish as he just stood shaking his head in shame and in tears.

Paige placed a hesitant hand on her nephew's tensed shoulder, not knowing what to say. How was she going to make this better? A tear slipped down her face in self- disgust... I'm his aunt for crying out loud?!

Coming to his senses, Chris shook his Aunt's hand from his shoulder and stepped back from everyone while shaking his head at them.

Staring solely upon Leo, he spoke with a pained voice, no longer having the energy to be mad, "You know what? I was a mistake, I shouldn't have happened, I'm screwing up your lives- I understand that. I'm sorry I wasn't what you were all expecting, and never will be.... But you have NO idea what I've been through," turning his head to look at Wyatt, he continued, "Why didn't I tell you? or anyone? How was I supposed to? When do you guys even notice me, not to mention have time to talk with me! Either you're yelling at me, or ignoring my existence!

"Growing up in this family has been _hell _for me. Always being reminded that I'll never be as good as Wyatt or special like Ryan. No, I'm just the middle child who screws up everything... Do you know what its like to have to sit at home a lone almost everyday, because your family _forgot _about you? Or go to parent's night every year and sit by yourself because yours forgot or had to be with your brothers? Seeing everyone else with their parent's but knowing yours were too busy? Watching your _entire _family rush to every single one of you brothers' games but not attending a _single _one of your competitions? Half the teachers at school think I don't even have parents! Is this what I have to do to finally get your attention? Get a girl pregnant? Get engaged? Then everyone will turn their head in my direction?

"I've never said a single word of complaint till now... I had so much I wanted to say, but I tried my best to hold everything in, but there is only so much I can take. Do you know how many times I've packed a suitcase, wanting to runaway because I thought no one wanted me here? I _hated _being reminded every single day that I was never going to be good enough. The only people that were holding me down were Aunt Prue and Grandpa, and they're both dead! So of course I jumped at the opportunity to be with Bianca. Because she is the only one right now who truly cares about me, and that's the only thing I've ever wanted my whole life- someone who'll love and care about me for being me. And that's something you guys haven't given me the past 18 years I've lived here, so you have _no _right to judge her."

Silence filled the tense air as everyone was left to soak up these words.

"Oh my god..." Piper whispered as her eyes clenched closed in pain and she slid down the wall as tears were rapidly flowing down her face. Clutching her head in her hands, her tears turned into silent sobs as her mind was plagued with guilt... What the hell has she done?

Phoebe and Paige didn't notice their other sister because they too were absorbed in their own remorse. Trying to sustain their tears from falling, they both didn't know how to respond to their nephew's speech.

For once, Ryan's eyes weren't filled with laughter or joy, but were clouded over with sorrow. Wyatt stared intently at his younger brother, a painful lump growing in his throat.

His mind working over time, Leo's heart began to throb and clench as his son's words impacted him with such great force. The tears were falling down his cheek, but he didn't bother to hide them... Trying to speak, he found himself speechless... How was he supposed to apologize for 18 years of neglect and pain? - Then something clicked into his mind that mad his stomach drop and his pain to double.

Hesitantly, Leo asked in a quivering voice, "18?"

"Oh shit." Wyatt hissed summing up everyone's thoughts.

"A week ago..." was all Chris could say in reply as he let his gaze drift down to the floor. His mind was no longer pained or angry... only exhausted.

After another minute of tense silence, Chris finally spoke as he lifted his head, "It doesn't matter anymore... None of it does. It's all in the past. I have to think about _my_ family now. I'm eighteen, I'm an adult. I want to start over with Bianca, the baby and me... _just us..._" hesitating slightly, Chris said with his head bent, "I'm sorry..." before orbing out in bright lights, leaving behind a broken family....

* * *

At the sound of muffled knocks at the door, Bianca leapt to her feet and rushed over to her front entrance. Yanking the door ajar, the sight before her broker her heart. 

Standing with his head cast to the floor and his slumped, defeated shoulders quivering, stood Chris. A tear slid down her cheek as her tender hand lifted his chin so his face would meet hers.

Red, puffy, broken eyes on a tear-streaked and bruised face met hers. Without another hesitation, Bianca engulfed him in a heart-rending embrace as the couple slid to the floor.

Sobbing freely into her open arms, for the first time in many years, Christopher Halliwell broke down and finally let go....

TBC....


	8. Chapter 8

Thanks for all the reviews!! I wasn't really sure about the last chapter- it wasn't one of my best... but I didn't have much time in writing it; this chapter is focused on the rest of the family; but I hope u guys enjoy it anyways!

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Chapter 8

Wyatt stood by the kitchen window, arms crossed against his chest and staring intently into the sun rise that cast splashes of color into the fresh morning sky. His eyes were blood-shot and still slightly puffy from the tears that had been shed the previous night.

The moment Chris's orbs had left the manor, the atmosphere had shattered as Chris's words had sunken in to everyone's heart. He wasn't coming back...

Ryan had immediately run up the stairs without a word and the sound of his bedroom door slamming echoed throughout the dead manor. After an hour of letting Ryan cope, Wyatt had gone up to check on his little brother, only to find him in Chris's room silently sobbing on the bed.

**::Flashback::**

_At the sound of Wyatt's footsteps entering the room, Ryan lifted his head off the pillow and stared up at him._

_After 16 years of growing up with him, Wyatt had never seen Ryan like this. All the laughter and joy that danced around in his eyes were completely shattered leaving behind two brown orbs full of sorrow, regret, and guilt. Trails of tears remained on his flushed cheeks and his nose was blushing red... for the first time ever, Ryan looked lost and broken.... he looked like Chris..._

_At the sight of his baby brother, Wyatt felt his heart break for the second time that night. Suppressing his tears that threatened to fall, Wyatt stepped over to the bed... he was the oldest, he had to be there for his younger brothers... he already made the mistake once, like hell he was going to do it again._

_The bed squeaked and sank a little from his weight as he sat down by his brothers still form. Raising a hand, he rubbed Ryan's shoulder in a comforting motion to let him know he was here for him. The moment his hand touched Ryan's shoulder, he felt him jerk away at his touch. _

_Flipping over onto his back and sitting up against the backboard, Ryan glared his red eyes at Wyatt, "Don't touch me."_

_Wyatt blinked... was this _his _baby brother? Trying again, Wyatt reached out his hand to touch Ryan's knee, but froze when Ryan flinched away. Was he mad at him? Did Ryan blame Wyatt for Chris leaving?_

"_Ryan, I know how you're feeling-"Wyatt slowly began, but was cut off by Ryan's heated voice._

"_Shut up! Don't say you know how I feel! I don't want to talk to you right now! Don't you get it?! I don't want to talk to you, or mom or dad, or any of our aunts! Just leave me alone!"_

_Feeling some anger rise inside himself, Wyatt tried to calm himself down... his brother was hurt right now... he needs to comfort him._

"_Ryan... I understand you're worried right now, because I am too. But you have to calm down if you want to help Chris. He's-"_

"_He's not coming back.." Ryan answered bluntly._

_Wyatt blinked... the whole family had understood that Chris had no intention of coming back to them, he made that much clear. But hearing it said in such a blunt form- it felt like he was stabbed by a knife._

"_He's not coming back... he hates us." Ryan continued._

_At that, Wyatt felt himself snap. Jumping on his feet, Wyatt whirled around to tower over his younger brother; all his pain and frustration that had built up from the previous events came out in anger and rage. Face livid, and eyes filled with tears, Wyatt released his pent up emotions._

"_Don't you _dare _say that. He _is_ coming back. I don't know how you feel?! Like hell!! I was his brother too dammit!! I'm the oldest! I was the one who was supposed to watch over him and help him! I let him down by not noticing he was in pain and not taking the time to help him!! While I was out having a blast, I was too stupid to realize my brother was alone at home and needed some comfort!! So you can stop rubbing it in my face that this is my fault, because I realize that too!! Sitting here and wallowing in your self-pity isn't going to help bring him back, Ryan!! So I suggest you stop feeling sorry for yourself and start helping the rest of us find him!!!"_

_Also on his feet, Ryan stood right in Wyatt's face, feeling equally raged, "Help?! Help do what?!? Mom is having a mental breakdown in her room!!! Dad is on the brink of self-destruction!! Aunt Phoebe and Aunt Paige are too busy crying their eyes out and feeling guilty to do anything!! Is this how we're going to get Chris back?!?! Tell me Wyatt; is this your master plan?!?! Get it through your head!! Chris doesn't want to come back!! And can you blame him?!?! After the hell we put him through?!?! I would hate us too if I were in his shoes!! _

"_And now he has a new family on the way! Why on earth would he come back?! We forgot his 18th birthday Wyatt!! Now that I think about it, we probably missed almost all of his birthdays!! While I was distracting mom, dad, and the aunts with my stupid soccer tournaments, they never had time for Chris!! It's my fault that he never told us about the baby and Bianca and why his life was so miserable! He hates me!! I know it!! And now, I'm never going to see my brother, or sister-in-law, or be an uncle to the baby ever again!!"_

_Breaking down, Ryan fell to his knees. Face in his hands, sobs racked his body and his shoulders quivered._

_Everything made sense now. Ryan was never mad at Wyatt or anyone else in the family, he was mad at himself. He thought it was his fault that no one ever paid attention to Chris, that he had hogged all the attention for himself. Now he was afraid Chris would hate him and he would never see his brother again._

"_Oh my god, Ryan..." Wyatt whispered as he fell on his knees next to his brother and wrapped his arms around his shaking form. Immediately, Ryan buried his face onto his older brother's shoulder and let himself sob._

_Not caring that his tears were falling down his face, Wyatt shushed his baby brother while whispering words of comfort into his ear._

"_Ryan, don't ever think that. This is _not _your fault! None of it is. And Chris could _never _hate you- ever. If I'm sure of anything, it's that Chris loved you so much. In fact, I bet you were the only person in this family that ever made him truly smile. We'll bring him back, Ryan. I swear to god. Even if it's the last thing I ever do, we'll bring him back home."_

_Hearing these words of comfort and lying in his brother's rocking arms, Ryan cried himself to sleep._

_Carrying his baby brother to his bed, Wyatt took a moment to watch him sleep, feeling good that he could at least comfort one of his brothers._

_If only he hadn't been too late in helping the younger brother more in need...._

**::End Flashback::**

Shaking his head, Wyatt turned away from the window and sat down at the kitchen table exhausted. He hadn't slept a wink that night, searching for a way to help Chris.

After leaving his baby brother's room, Wyatt had found his two aunts in the attic searching through the Book of Shadow, both with tear stained, yet determined faces.

The three of them had tried calling for Chris, sensing, spells, scrying, potions- nothing had worked. Something was counteracting with their magic- like a shield, or maybe a potion. It was obvious Chris didn't want to be found and had probably been planning this for a while.

Needing a break, Wyatt had come down to the kitchen, leaving his two aunts to continue their search.

It was now 5:30 in the morning, and neither of his parents was in sight. Since Chris's departure, Piper had locked herself in her room without a word to anyone and refused to look at anyone. Leo had left a long time ago without saying where he was headed to.

Sighing in desperation and exhaustion, Wyatt turned his head to the window,

"Where are you Chris?"

* * *

Phoebe was pacing back and forth in the attic in front of a worn out Paige who was scanning through the book for the 5th time.

Looking up with swollen, blood-shot eyes, Paige told her, "Pacing isn't going to bring him back Phoebe."

Stopping at her sister's voice, she stood still and stared back at her before nodding her head. Sighing, she walked over to where Paige sat on the couch and took a seat next to her.

"I know.... I just don't know what to do? I feel so... lost. God... how did everything get so screwed up? I mean, how blind were we to not notice his pain? Pain that _we _caused!"

Rubbing her sore eyes, Paige nodded. She had been wondering the same thing the whole night. How had they all been so stupid and blind? Chris was right there the whole time, yet they still managed to ignore him? Did she really become so thick that she would openly favored Wyatt and Ryan over Chris without even realizing what she was doing?

"I'm not even sure what we're going to do once we find him... What can we say to make this all better, Phoebe? A simple 'I'm sorry' and a hug doesn't seem to cut it here... Every time I imagine what he had to go through alone- it just breaks my heart. Imagine how scared he probably was once he found out Bianca was pregnant! He was just a kid!! And he had no one to talk to. Or when they got engaged, his 18th birthday, the list just goes on and on... all these occasions are meant to be spent with family... we're his family and we _failed _him." Tears spilled over Paige's eyes and slid down her cheek.

Putting an arm around her sister's shoulder, Phoebe felt her own heart throb.

"If anyone should feel guilty, it's me. I've been so busy with my work these days that I didn't even have time to notice anyone. I put my work before my family, something I promised myself I would never do," Phoebe sighed as she bent her head forward and into her hands.

"I wonder how Piper and Leo are taking it. Have you seen either of them?" Paige questioned.

Lifting her head, Phoebe shook her head, "I'd imagine they're not doing so well right now. Pipers in her room and Leo- god knows were he is. I just hope neither of them do something stupid."

Shaking her head, Paige whispered, "Only a miracle can help this family now...."

'Or Chris...' Phoebe silently answered.

* * *

Piper sat on her bed with her back against the backboard. In her hands was a photo of their whole family taken a couple of years ago. She stared at Chris as he stood with his hands hitched in his pocket and a smile on his face. With her thumb, Piper brushed against his face as more tears cascaded down her face and splashed onto the photo.

She felt like her whole body was in agony as her face was completely swollen from so many tears and flushed red from her sobs.

Looking into the photo, she noticed how empty and sullen Chris's smile truly was. It was like a mask had been pulled up to cover his true emotions. Nevertheless, even a mask could never hide the truth that lied in his eyes. What 18 years of neglect and damage could do to a boy. In all her years, Piper had never seen a smile as tragic as the one that lay on her son's face.

For eighteen years, how had she not noticed this till now? She was his mother, and yet she had been fooled along with everyone else by his mask.

She wanted with all her heart to erase the past and start over- she wanted to be there for Chris's childhood, she wanted to make him laugh a true laugh that held no pain, smile with no hidden anguish behind it, she just wanted to be there for him... let him know how much she did love him.

But she couldn't, and her chance was gone. Chris was now an adult and was thrust into the real world with a baby on the way and a wife-to-be.

Knowing this made her heart completely shatter into a million pieces. She had missed all of Chris's childhood....

And now, she was probably going to miss her son's marriage and the birth of her first grand-child!

Another wave of sobs racked her body, and it physically hurt.

Chris would never have a childhood again... He was only 18 years old and would be expected to raise a family on his own? Like hell he will! Piper swore to herself right then and there, she would never leave him again... to have to suffer and carry the burden alone... no, she would be there for him this time.

As she continued to gaze into the picture, bright colored orbs illuminated the room and formed before her.

Without lifting her head, she knew who it was,

"Go away, Leo."

Looking ragged and worn out, Leo stared at his wife's sullen face and ignored what she said by stepping over to the bed. As he took a seat by her, the bed sagged bellow him.

Now looking irritated, she looked him in the face with annoyance, "Are you deaf? I want to be alone. I don't want to hear you tell me everything is going to be okay, because it's not! There's nothing you can say that will make everything better, so just leave!"

Shaking his grim head, Leo gazed into his wife's eyes, "I wasn't going to tell you everything was going to be okay... I know we screwed up, and we can't change that."

Releasing a dark chuckle, Piper retorted, "Then why are you here? If you're here to blame me, and tell me how I'm a horrible mother and that I just scarred my son for life? It's too late because I already know!"

"I'm not going to blame you, Piper. Blaming people won't fix this. Right now, we have to focus on getting to Chris so we can talk to him."

Piper scoffed, "And how're we going to do that Leo? We have NO idea where he could be!! Let's face it, none of knew him well enough to even know where he goes on his free time!!! We know NOTHING about him!! And we're his family for god's sake!! How sad is that?!?! I don't know what his favorite foods are, what he likes to do, who he talks to! I'm his mother and I couldn't even remember his birthday!! My baby became an adult without me even realizing it!! On Wyatt's 18th birthday, we had a huge party and bought him a car and kept telling him how he was an adult now and how proud we were of who he had become. We didn't even tell Chris happy birthday!!"

Fresh tears were rolling down Piper's cheek as she talked and her mind was threatening to go into hysteria.

No matter how hard Leo was trying to stay strong for Piper, tears found their way into his eyes as the truth behind her words hit him hard.

Piper continued her rant as Leo remained silent, "The whole time Bianca was pregnant, the time where he was most in need of our help, he was too afraid to ask for us. That says _everything _about our parenting skills right there. And now, when we finally realize he needs us, we can't find him! The only people who he really talked to are either dead or with him! I mean we can't just summon them and ask where Chris is! We- we....." A sudden look of awareness swept across Piper's face as she suddenly dropped the picture.

Concerned over Piper's sudden change, Leo placed a hesitant hand over her knee.

"Piper, are you alright?"

In response, Piper leapt to her feet and bound to the door. Quickly yanking it open, she disappeared around the corner.

Worried that his wife would do something rash and crazy in her current state of mind, Leo leapt up and quickly trailed after her.

When he arrived in the attic, he found a frantic Piper gathering candles in her arm and placing them on the wooden floor as she muttered incomprehensible words to herself. An anxious Phoebe, Paige, and Wyatt gawked at her, not knowing what was going on since Piper had just abruptly dashed into the room after a several hour absence.

Thinking Piper had finally lost it and gone into hysteria, Leo took an awkward step towards her, "Piper, what are you doing?"

Too frazzled with what she was doing, she just continued to haphazardly light the candles and mumble to herself.

Phoebe, being brave, took a step towards Piper also, "Sweetie, I understand you're feeling guilty right now, but-"

Whipping around to face her sister, Piper looked at her with a livid face and snapped, "Don't say you know Phoebe! Don't you dare! You've never been a mother, you have no idea how I'm feeling right now! I have to help my son right now, so get. out. of. my. way."

Piper's words opened up an old wound in Phoebe, but she obeyed and stepped out of the way. Piper was only a mother who wanted to find her lost son... She had every right to be upset right now...

Stepping back from her work, Piper began to chant,

_Hear these words, hear my cry  
Spirit from the other side  
Come to me, I summon the  
Cross now the great divide_

Immediately, golden orbs materialized from the air and cast a luminous glow throughout the attic as it took its shape.

Waiting expectantly with her arms crossed, Piper gazed into the eyes of the new guest without a blink of emotion,

"Where's my son, Prue."


	9. Chapter 9

Sorry it took me so long to update; I'll try harder this time to update sooner... thanks for all the review guys... reading them made me realize I've been delaying this update for too long- so without further ado, here's the next chapter!

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Chapter 9

Prue flashed back a quirky grin as she mirrored her younger sister's stance and stood with her arms crossed against her chest and a look of sarcasm plastered on her face.

"Hey sis, what's going on? Long time no see... How're you doing? I'm doing fine, thanks for asking. I've only been dead for a couple of decades, no need to be so welcoming."

Paige, Phoebe, Leo, and Wyatt were at a loss for words as their mind couldn't even comprehend what was going on. Everything was just happening to quickly for their minds to wrap around the days surprising events and digest what was really going on. First Chris breaks down and is now currently missing; now Prue returns from the dead? This was going to be one hell of a day....

As the wheels began to turn in Phoebe's head, a rush of emotions started to course through her mind. 'It's Prue..... oh my gosh..... its Prue....'

Gasping, tears began to fill her eyes and heart, with a quivering voice; she managed to squeak, "Prue?"

At the sight of her baby sister, Prue's hardened demeanor softened as she stepped out of the circle and quickly turned solid. Smiling slightly, Prue nodded a little and whispered, "Yeah Pheebs, it's me."

That was all the proof she needed, as Phoebe ran into the arms of her older sister and gave her a tight squeeze, never wanting to let go. Tears found their way down her face and left their mark, but she didn't care... she had her sister.

Patting Phoebe on the back, Prue released from their hug and stood back to examine her and the rest of the occupants in the room.

Leo stood off to the side with a distant look in his eyes, as though he were only half there, like half his heart had been broken... can you blame the guy; he was missing his son.

Her gaze wandered to Paige... her baby sister... the one she had never met... well in person that is. Of course she had been watching her family from above, and was just as shocked as everyone else to discover she had another baby sister. It took a while to get the whole story, but she had finally managed to dig it up from her mother and grams after much cajoling.

Flashing her a warm smile, Prue stepped forward and placed a warm hand on Paige's shoulder, "Hey, sis. Glad to finally meet you."

Eyes glittering with tears, Paige covered her hand with her own, "Me too.... me too..."

Turning on her heels, Prue glanced over at Wyatt who had yet to say a word. Standing slouched, hands rammed deep into his pocket, and eyebrows slightly furrowed, Wyatt closely resembled Leo. This brought a smirk to her face as she examined her oldest nephew with scrutiny.

"What, no hug for your long lost aunt?" Prue teased with open arms.

However, Wyatt was in no mood for joking or reacquainting with long lost relatives, all his mind could focus on was his brother. Without moving a muscle, Wyatt stared solemnly at Prue and repeated his mother's question, "Where's my brother?"

Nevertheless, Prue wouldn't let his sour attitude rain on her mood as she let her arms drop to her side.

"Good question. I thought I had another nephew around here somewhere... where is that Ryan? I'm sure he'll be happier to see his dead Aunt."

Quickly losing her patience with her sister, Piper took a threatening step towards Prue and repeated her question, deliberately pronouncing each word with a hint of venom,

"Where. Is. My. Son."

Fighting back with equal heat, Prue stared her sister dead in the eye and said with a hint of sarcasm, "Don't tell me you lost your own son, Piper. Speaks volumes for your mothering skills, don't you think?"

Piper's eye burned with fire as her need to protect her son took over.

"_Don't _play games with me, _Prudence_; I'm warning you right now. I'm on the verge of hysteria, and I _will _do anything to get my son back. I mean it," she hissed.

Not backing out, Prue replied with a cold chuckle, "Changing your tune a bit aren't you? The last time I checked, you didn't give a crap whether Chris was here or on the brink of death!"

Her face flushed a dark crimson shade as Piper took another step towards Prue, "_How. Dare. You-"_

Knowing what Piper was capable of, Phoebe and Paige quickly stepped between the two and placed a hand to stop them.

"Piper, you have to calm down! Yelling at Prue isn't helping!" Paige exclaimed as she glared at her sister.

"And physical violence isn't going to help either," Phoebe added as an extra measure as she stared apprehensively between her glowering sisters.

But Piper took no heed from either of the two as she tried to push Paige out of the way, "Move, Paige."

Paige however remained unmoving, and kept her hand placed on Piper's chest.

Sensing the growing tension and antagonism rising in the air, Leo quickly stepped in and placed a hand on his wife's shoulder in an attempt to get her to relax. However, Piper was too wrapped up in her emotions to think and shrugged his hand of roughly.

"Listen to your sisters, Piper. Chris is my son too, and I want him home just as badly! Yelling and screaming isn't going to bring him back, so just take a breath and calm down," Leo commanded as he placed another hand on her shoulder.

Whipping around, Piper glared at Leo with fierce eyes, "Calm down?! How the hell am I supposed to calm down, Leo?! He's out there right now! We're his parents, it's our job to find him and take care of him! We have to make this right, I can't- No, I _refuse _to sit back and let him suffer out there! So you're either with me, or not!!"

Prue scoffed, "'It's your job to take care of him?' Give me a break Piper! Did it take you 18 years to figure that out?! Wait, no- you had that concept down with both Ryan and Wyatt... I guess you just couldn't fit Chris into you busy scheduled life!! You refuse to sit back and let him suffer?! News flash Piper, you already did!! While Chris went through hell, you still managed to be ignorant of his existence!!"

"You're not a mother, Prue!! You have _no _idea what it's like to have to raise kids, not to mention three!! I did my best raising my sons!! What more do you want me to do?! If you're really so concerned about Chris, just tell me where he is!!!" Piper spat back as her face was livid.

Shaking her head, Prue had tears of anger, frustration, and sorrow in her eyes, "You're right Piper, you did do your best at raising your sons- but you forgot you had more than two! While you were at one of your other sons soccer games or football games, the one that need you the most was alone crying at home! It amazes me how dense all of you were these past 18 years! Chris _needed _you guys, he needed his family- but instead he had to grow up _alone_. Can any of you imagine how much that hurt him? Growing up uncared for and unloved when you're family is right there all along?

I'm not a mother, nor will I ever be one... but I was more of a parent towards Chris than any of you were, and I'm _dead_. It broke my heart to have to watch Chris at age seven and twelve or fifteen, crying in the attic alone because he had no one to cry to; Holding all of his emotions in and letting it tear him up inside because no one took the time to _listen. _How many times have I had to come down here myself and give him a shoulder to cry on because none of you took notice to lend him one of yours? It hurt me like hell, to sit here and listen to him sob- hearing him tell me he thought he was unwanted, he was a mistake, that no one cared... Seeing the pain permanently sketched into his eyes, and watching them fill with tears every time. Tell me Piper, where were you when all this happened? Where were you, or Leo, Paige, Phoebe, Wyatt? What the hell was so damn important that you couldn't spend 10 minutes of your time comforting him?! Helping him, giving him a shoulder to cry on?! Because I sure as hell can't see an excuse!"

Leo shut his eyes as tears streamed down his face and he couldn't seem to find a remedy for the new pain filling his heart and drowning his mind.

Phoebe and Paige couldn't respond... because Prue was right... there was no excuse. They stood there, too pained to shed a tear, but could only stare at the newfound truth that was laid before them. And the truth had never hurt so much. Was this their punishment? To have this guilt sink into their guts and give their mind no rest from the agony it caused? If it was, they took it with no complaint... they knew with all their heart- they deserved this more than anything. They all did.

Shaking her head, Piper tried to fight the dawn of realization- it was too painful... she couldn't take it. She knew once it hit, her mind would go into hysteria, her guts would be wrenched, the guilt overwhelming... she couldn't handle it, and so she fought with all her strength. Tears were burning holes through her eyes and fire blazed within them, flickering with ferocity.

"Shut. Up." She hissed with cold, harsh words.

But Prue wasn't ready to let up yet... eighteen years of watching her nephew go through hell and back, eighteen years of screaming she held in, the pain she went through just watching her nephew suffer... She kept her silence for eighteen years, now was her time to fight for Chris.

"What's the matter, Piper? Did I hit a nerve? I'm right and you know it. Trying to fight the guilt, the pain? Well deal with it, because this is what Chris went through _every day._ You guys are his parents, older brother, Aunts! Yet you _failed _to protect him, help him, _guide _him! Do you think Chris would've ended up a father at eighteen if you guys had done what you were supposed to? If you had been there for him and actually raised him? Why the hell do you think Chris had to run to Bianca for support? It's because his own _blood _turned their backs on him."

Wyatt had remained quiet until then, but he had had enough of this crap. Listening to his parents and aunts fight and scream. This wasn't helping him find Chris, and that was all he cared about right now. His main focus. His aunt's words stabbed his heart and left a deep wound that he knew, would never heal. He needed his brother, and his mind wouldn't rest till he had Chris in his arms.

Stepping up, he faced his aunt, "If you really care about Chris, tell us where he is.... Tell me where my brother is..." Wyatt choked on his sobs as his face began to crumble, "please... just help me find Chris...."

Prue's eyes gazed around the room, as she saw Piper kneeling on the floor racked in sobs, succumbing to her inner guilt; Leo looking so broken.... so lost; Paige with her tears cascading down her face, mind melting from her emotions; Phoebe breaking down slowly and tears turning into soft sobs.... was this the family Chris would be returning to?

Holding back the tears that were steadily filling her eyes, Prue turned around and slowly stepped into the circle of candles and once again became transparent. Turning once more to her family she opened her mouth to speak,

"It may be hard for Chris in the beginning, but he will adjust to his new life. He has a baby, a wife, and a chance to start his new life. A chance to be happy. And I could _never _deny him that. I'm not going to tell you where he is so you guys can tell him you're sorry and feel better about yourselves. Don't you get it? This isn't about you... this is about Chris... I love you all so much, but I won't let you hurt Chris anymore. I've seen him suffer too much already, more than he should ever bare. If you really do care about him as much as you say, prove it. Use you're time and effort to find him and then make it up to him. Because I sure as hell won't give you an easy break and let you drag him back here and treat him like crap. While you're searching for him, I want you to realize the hell he went through and think about it. Make you realize your mistakes. Hopefully the time it takes you to find him will give you enough time to change and clean up your act. Appreciate him more."

Closing her eyes for a second, Prue took a deep breath. When she opened them once again, her eyes glistened with unshed tears as she spoke in a pained voice, "I love you all so much...." She hesitated before continuing, "But if you ever hurt Chris again, I won't be as forgiving...."

With her final words spoken, Prue disappeared in a dazzling display of white orbs and left the room in a dead, gloomy, silence.....

TBC....

* * *

Next Chapter:

I'm thinking I'm going to switch to Chris and Bianca on the next chapter and have had a couple of months pass by....but I'm not sure... tell me if you guys want the next chapter to be more of the family or to be of Chris and Bianca.


	10. Chapter 10

I'm soooooooo sorry!!! I promised a quicker update but i just made you wait longer! I had this chapter written like a week ago, but the internet didnt work on the computer that i had saved it on. Spell check wasn't working so there might be some errors. Review or email for suggestions or comments! Thanks!

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Chapter 10

Three Months Later; San Diego, California...

"Hey, Halliwell! Does this look like nap time?! Get your ass back to work!"

Chris jumped at the voice, as he had unknowingly been dozing off while he sat crouched on the dirt ground, back up against the rough brick wall.

But at the sound of his boss's harsh words, Chris immediately leapt up onto his feet and rubbed at his exhausted eyes that had remained the same blood-shot color ever since he had first received his job.

Looking slightly sheepish, Chris muttered his apology, "I'm sorry, Mr. Wadeson; it won't happen again."

The large middle-aged man glared down at him with uncaring eyes and sneered, "It better not, Halliwell. It's enough I even hired ya! If you want to take a nap, go back to school kid! You're at the end of a very short rope, so watch you're step. You understand me, boy?"

Biting his tongue and gritting his teeth, Chris forced himself not to release the frustration that was already boiling so close to the edge of his lips and instead ducked his head down while staring intently at the dirt ground and mumbled, "Yes, sir. It won't happen again..."

Giving him one last final scowl, Mr. Wadeson wandered off while muttering about the problems of youth in America today.

Ever since Chris had found the job at construction site a couple months back, he had been given a hard time due to his young age. While most of the men working there were well in their late thirties or early forties, Chris remained the only teen there causing him to be the butt of many jokes that irritated him to no end and made his work there a living hell.

He often found himself being dumped with most of the work by his other co-workers and then blamed for not finishing it on time by his boss.

The labor was definitely strenuous with a lot of heavy lifting and being left under the intense heat of the sun.

'Long hours, hard labor, crappy boss, low pay.... Yup, this is the life....' Chris thought sarcastically to himself as he rubbed his sore shoulders, hoping to release some tension that had built up.

Striding across the construction site, Chris reached a large pile of metal pipes and he let out a deep annoyed sigh. 'Oh great, leave all the heavy lifting for me. No probelm, really. I'll just tap into my super-human strength!!'

As Chris slowly began the laborious work of carrying the large pipes over his shoulder and delivering them to the builders throughout the site, he felt his back acting up again and had to slow down for a bit before continuing.

'Wasn't Jake supposed to do this with me?' he thought to himself as he gathered another couple of pipes over his shoulder and continued his slow labor.

Chris scoffed at himself, 'He's probably out getting a beer or something; anywhere but here.'

Out of all his co-workers, Jake Warren was the worst when it came to ridiculing Chris. A tall, well-built, middle-aged man who seemed to have permanent sneer plastered across his face; he was always stabbing jokes at him and leaving work early while leaving Chris to finish for him. The worst of it was that he got paid twice as much as Chris did. The first day of work, he immediately demanded that Chris refer to him as either "sir" or "Mr. Warren." Chris would've replied by saying he could find a couple of other well chosen names to fit him, but he knew he needed the job; fighting wasn't going to help him.

* * *

"Bianca?! I'm home!" Chris exclaimed as he entered the foyer of their apartment and proceeded to take of his work boots.

The apartment was nothing great to look at. In fact it was rather small and a far cry from luxury. The living room and kitchen were mixed into one and there were only two rather small bedrooms. But it was all they could find or afford for that matter.

The day after the fight, Chris and Bianca had gathered a few of their belongings and collected as much money as they could find. Selling her apartment had added to their pot but still only left them with a couple of thousand dollars.

After the 5 hours bus ride to San Diego, they had found a small hotel where they had stayed for two weeks as they continually searched for a more permanant place to stay.

The land lord was a little reluctant to be renting out his apartment to a couple of teens, especially after he had seen Bianca's protruding belly. But after a little cajoling from Chris's part and an extra couple of hundreds were thrown in, they found themselves settled into their new home.

Shortly after, Chris has begun his quest to find a job that would allow them to keep their home and also feed them since their money had run alarmingly low in the short time they had stayed here. After what seemed like the hundreth rejection, Chris was desperate enough to take the first job that was thrown his way; unfortunately for him, that was at the consruction site.

"I'm in the nursery, sweetie!" Bianca replied as her voice carried through the tiny apartment.

Smiling, Chris made his way into the nursery room and found his fiance re-arranging the many dolls that filled one of the shelves.

Soon after moving in, Bianca had had her 20th birthday which the couple celebrated by going out to eat dinner and a little private after party in their bedroom at night.

When Chris had asked her what she wanted for her birthday, she answered by saying she wanted to make the nursery room. Immediately after, she began designing the nursery room and had gone on a shopping crusade to buy as many baby things as she could find. Unfortuanetly for Chris, he was also dragged along on many of them and forced to sit through hours and hours of his fiance's cooing over the baby furniture.

The hardest decision came down to what color they should paint the room since the sex of the baby was still un-known. Bianca had been dead set on painting the room pink claiming that even if the baby wasn't a girl, the color was too cute. Chris had countered her by saying that the baby blue color could be for both girls and boys. So they did the most obvious choice and painted the room a pastel green.

"Having fun?" Chris teased as he leaned against the door way and watched her perfect the display.

After making sure the stuffed animals were in perfect positions, a six month pregnant Bianca straightened up and flashed a grin at him. "Maybe I am..." She answered suductively as she made her way to the door and wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a peck on his cheek, "So whatcha been doin' good lookin'?"

Chris let out a a chuckle, "The baby's making you crazier and crazier each day, you know that?" He teased as he felt her snuggle in his arms.

"Well, half the baby's genes do come from you so it is to be expected," she goaded as she unhooked her arms from around his neck and made her way to the living room so she could plop down on the couch. Chris followed behind and took a seat beside her while wrapping an arm across Bianca's shoulder.

"So how was your day?" Chris asked while mindlessly rubbing her belly.

"I puked in the morning, then i ate a peanut butter and pickle sandwich and puked again. I got bored so i started watching soap operas; and then realized i was _actually _watching them so i turned the t.v off. So then i went into the nursery and began cleaning it again. So baby, how was your day?"

He shrugged, "bleh."

"Bleh?" She asked with a quizical grin.

"Yup, my day was bleh," he reaffirmed her with a smirk.

Bianca rolled her eyes as she squirmed in his arms before lifting her head with a frown on her face, "Why are you so tense?"

"I'm not tense."

"Yes, you are."

"Bianca, I'm not tense."

"You're shoulders are all stiff, that means you're tense."

"My shoulders are not stiff."

"Yes, they are."

"No, they're not."

"Uh-huh."

"Nuh-uh."

"Uh-huh."

"Nuh-uh."

"If I say they are stiff, they are stiff! If i say you're tense then you are! Do you understand me, Christopher Perry Halliwell because im pregnant and a little irritated right now so i DONT won't to repeat myself. Am i understood?!"

Chris had to stiffle a laugh before replying with mock seriousness, "Yes, mam!"

"Good! Now is you're back hurting again? And you better not lie to me because believe me, I _will _know.""

Rolling his eyes, he replied, "OK, fine. It was acting up again today, but i feel fine now, really. 100 percentbetter."

Off the look Bianca was shooting him, Chris finally relented, "Maybe it hurts a little. But i can hardly feel any pain. When i mean little, i mean like _really _little." Chris emphasized his point with his thumb and index finger.

"Okay, a little pain in Chris language means alot in english so im gonna get you a pack of ice to put on your back."

Letting out a sigh of exasperation, Chris leaned back onto the couch as Bianca made her way into the kitchen.

Rolling his shoulders a little, he was about to lay down when an object caught the corner of his eyes. Sighing, he reached over and grabbed the picture frame off the side table.

Running his thumb across the picture, conflicting emotions began to arise in the pit of his stomach and he felt his throat tighten a little.

He flinched when he felt someone's arm wrap around his shoulder and turned to see Bianca staring down at the picture he held in his hand, the ice pack resting on the table.

"It's okay to miss them, Chris. They are your family."

Blinking back tears and straightening up, he replaced the picture back onto the side table and answered, "You and the baby are my family."

Shaking her head, she brushed a hand over his cheek, "You don't have to feel this way, Chris."

Bewildered, Chris turned to her and asked, "Feel like what?"

"Like you have to choose between me and your family. Because you _can_ have both, Chris."

"You're wrong, I don't miss them."

"That's not true."

"How would you know?"

"Why else did you bring a picture of them?"

Silence buzzed throughout the apartment and the faint sound of footsteps were heard from the people upstairs.

"It's okay to want to see your family. To go back home. I know you won't say it, but it's been hard for you here hasn't it? Chris, you're eighteen and having to support a family. I know you're scared. Other people might think you're handling it pretty well, but i _know _you," she covered his hand with hers, "If you want to go back home, I'll go with you."

Chris sat still, his gaze transfixed on the photo, his mind deep in thought.

"I can't. Not now. Maybe....... maybe in a couple of years we can go visit and let them meet the baby. But not now. Im not ready for that yet."

"You know they're sorry, Chris. That they've forgiven you..."

" I know.... but...." Chris faltered as his words wouldn't leave his throat.

"But you haven't exactly forgiven them yet."

Turning his head, he flashed her a weak grin, "I think we've been spending to much time together."

Taking the bait to ease the atmosphere, she nudged him in the ribs, "No, i just know my man."

Chris gave her a weak smile, but there was still conflicting emotions that showed through his eyes. The smile was distant, one that hid his true thoughts.

"Baby, what are you thinking about?"

Chris sighed as he wrapped his arms around her and gave her a long hug as she snuggled into his embrace. His eyes traveled over to the photo that never ceased to haunt him,

"I'm just wondering how they're doing...." he answered truthfully.

Little did he know that a couple thousand miles away, his family was asking themselves the same question....

TBC....


	11. Chapter 11

happy holidays to all! heres my gift to everyone! sorry, no spell check!

**Chapter 11**

_Voices were filling his head.Begging. Pleading. They were all so... desperate..._

_"Run Chris! Please! Don't do this!"_

_"There has to be another way... there just has to! Chris, please! Just don't!"_

_His vision became blurry as moisture covered his cheeks... was he crying?_

_"Why are you doing this to us? We need you... I need you! Dammit! For once just listen to me!"_

_He tried moving his limbs to reach the voices... they all sounded so familiar.. _

_He soon discovered moving was a bad idea as he crumbled in pain. Why do i feel like i was hit by a truck? Where the hell am i?_

_"CHRIS!"_

_Who is that voice?_

_"no... NO! STOP!"_

He shot up in bed as beads of cold sweat trickled down his face. His breath was labored as his heart was beating through his chest. He felt his stomach churning and his body burning with fever. Without a secound thought, he stumbled toward the bathroom and began wretching his guts until heaving became physically painful and tears were streaming down his face. Looking down into the bowl, he saw tints of red mixed in with the mess. Blood.

Closing his eyes, he tried to slow his breathing as he leaned his head against the cool toilet seat and willed his migraine to dissappear.

This was not an unordinary thing for Chris. Ever since he was little, he remembered having the same nghtmare appear every once in a while and constantly being sick and heaving his stomach into the bathroom. He figured he just had a weak stomach.

Locking himself in the bathroom and curling up into a ball to ease his nausea and migraines... not the best of his memories.

He never told anyone about his condition, not even Bianca. The only person that knew a little about it wasn't here to comfort him right now.

As his migraine continually pounded his head, Chris curled himself into a ball and thought back to one of his most comforting memories.

**:Flashback:**

_A 11 year old Chris was doubled over the toilet, dry heaving to the point where it became physically painful and tears were cascading down his face. He didn't know how to make it stop. He had been doubled over for the past 15 minutes, and he couldn't make the wracks of heaves stop. With his constant heaving, Chris didn't hear the doorknob turn or the voice of concern that was beside him in a second._

_"Hey, it's ok... I'm here. Just calm down alright?"_

_A supporting hand was laid gently across his back and was creating soothing circles. A warm murmur was against his ear._

_"Don't worry, Chris. Just try to relax, okay?"_

_A few minutes later, Chris was slumped against the cool porcelain with his eyes shut. No more energy was left within him to lift his head to see who the guest was._

_A gentle hand was caressing his hair, "Rest, okay? Jesus, you're burning up. Maybe I should call somebody.."_

_"Aunt Prue?" Chris mumbled as the voice spoke again. His surroundings were blurring into one giant white blob... and was the room tilting towards the left?_

_"You must be delerious... it's me, Wyatt."_

_Wyatt? Huh?_

_"What are you... shouldn't you... out or-" Chris's slurred rambling was cut off by a concerned Wyatt._

_"Shh... I came back early, and good thing i did. You shouldn't be laying here, it's cold. I'm gonna carry you to bed, alright?" Without waiting for his answer, Wyatt placed one of his arms under Chris's knees and slung the other across the younger boys shoulder. Lifting the boy up off the ground, he gently carried him to his room._

_Laying him down on the bed, he gathered all the blankets and made sure Chris was sufficiently covered._

_"I'm okay, Wy... probably ate something wrong or something..." Chris stated his slurred speech. But in truth, he felt like his body was covered in flames and someone was continually beating him across the head._

_Wyatt frowned down at his little brother and placed a soothing hand against his burning flesh, "Chris, you're burning up. I think I'm gonna call mom and dad-"_

_Before Wyatt could go, a hand shot out and stopped him, "Don't tell them... okay? Please? I- uh... don't want them to worry..." _

_Not fully convinced, Wyatt carefully studied his brother's reaction, "Are you sure, buddy?"_

_Managing a weak smile, Chris nodded._

_"Alright then, what do you want? I know i suck at cooking, but i can atleast attempt canned soup, can't i? How hard could that be?" _

_"I'm fine, Wy. You don't have to babysit me. You can go out... if you want.."Chris muttered his soft response. He wanted Wyatt to stay with him, but also didn't want Wyatt to stay unwilliningly._

_"Uh-huh... nice try Chris, but you can't get rid of me that easily. There is no way I'm leaving you like this."_

_With an inward sigh of relief, Chris feverently nodded with a genuine grin._

_"So what do you want? Chicken noodle or tomatoe?"_

_"Um... Wy? Can you just stay with me while I sleep? Just for a little bit... until i fall asleep?" Chris repsonded shyly, not looking into his brother's eyes._

_Wyatt froze for a second, just staring at his little brother before breaking out into a large grin, "Anything for you, lil' buddy. Now scoot over."_

_Scooting over across the bed, Wyatt slid in, adding a comforting weight. Chris placed his head on Wyatt's shoulder as Wyatt made soothing circles across his back and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead.._

_"Goodnight, Chris."_

_And with that Chris drifted off into a peaceful slumber._

**:End Flashback:**

Lifting his hand and touching his cheek, Chris hadn't realized he was crying. Looking around the cold empty room, his heart sagged when he realized that his brother was no where near to comfort him.

Closing his eyes and leaning against the wall, Chris just let it out and began to sob.

'God, I wanna go home...'

"Wyatt, hon. You okay?"

Wyatt's gaze ripped away from the window and fell upon his Aunt Phoebe. For three months now, Phoebe had been on a break and was constantly lurking around the house, constantly asking each family member how they were doing. On her spare time, she would research both magical and non-magical ways to find Chris.

"Hey, Aunt Phoebe. Yeah, I'm okay..."

Looking skeptical she asked, "What're you thinking about?"

With a look that said 'Do-you-even-have-to-ask', he replied, "Chris."

"I see... what about him?"

"What if he's hurt? Or sick? I mean, there's no one there to look out for him!"

"There's Bianca."

"She doesn't count, she's pregnant. A lot of good she'll be," Wyatt remarked sarcastically.

Patting his shoulder she replied, "I know you're worried... we all are..."

"Do you want some soup Ryan?"

"No thanks, mom."

"You should eat something."

"I'm fine."

Sighing with exasperation, Piper returned to wiping the table as Ryan continued to stare blankly out the window. Leo who was also studying his son with concerned eyes looked anxiously at Piper. For the past three months, Piper had been extremly moody with everyone and was constantly flaring up her temper. In her spare time, she resorted to vigorously scrubbing the house clean or to just lock herself in the attic.

"Maybe you should relax, Piper. Just sit down?"

"I'm fine, Leo," she snapped back.

With a sidewards glance at his son, Leo asked in a gente voice, "Ryan, why don't you go see what your brother and aunts are up to?"

Shrugging his shoulder with indifference, he stood and left the room leaving behind a tense silence in the kitchen.

"Piper, you need to quit snapping at people. Especially your family."

Freezing for a second, Piper didn't respond.

Leo continued, "I know you've been depressed, but we all are! He was my son too! Snapping at everything that moves isn't helping anyone."

Turning and glaring at Leo, Piper replied with venom, "Do you really miss him Leo? He was your son, but do you really miss him?"

Instantly feeling hurt, he answered her with a cool tone of his own, "Of course i do!"

"Well, you sure don't express it!"

"Just because i haven't been hissing at everyone doesn't mean i don't miss him! Every second, i can't stop thinking about him! When i sleep, i remember the last time we saw him! I hit him, Piper! That was the last thing i ever did with him! I hit him! You have no idea how guilty i feel! I told him he was a screw up! That's the last thing i ever said to him... Piper, I'm hurting just as much as you are... but we're parents and we have two other kids to raise. We gotta suck it up. Yelling and screaming isn't going to bring him back. We have to remain civil headed and search for him like that."

Collapsing into a chair beside him, Piper leaned over and clung to him, "I know, Leo. I'm sorry, i should've never accused you like that. I had no right. I'm just so worried! He has no money! Where is he staying, what is he eating? What if he's hurt or sick?"

Giving his wife a tight squeeze, he replied, "I know... i think about the same thing..."

In the distance, the echo of the phone ringing could be heard.

"I'll get it!" Paige's scream could be heard all throughout the house.

Releasing from their hug, Leo asked, "You okay?"

"Yeah... thanks, Leo."

"No problem."

A thundering of footsteps could be heard from behind the two and as they looked up, Paige was standing in the doorway with glassy eyes and a phone within her limb hand,

"They found him."

TBC...


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

"What now?" Phoebe voiced as everyone sat in a tense silence. No one daring to move, but only delved into their thoughts and worries.

"I don't know. Darryl just told me they found a teen matching Chris's profile and gave me the location. He said we should probably take it slow with him… he may still not want to be found…" Paige spoke in a hoarse voice, knowing everyone in the room didn't want to hear the last part.

Two weeks after Chris had left, Paige had gone to Darryl, in her last hopes to find her nephew, and begged him to do whatever he could to find him. It didn't take much persuasion on her part due to the fact that Chris was his godchild.

"What do you mean 'what now'? We know where he is! We're going to go up there, tell him we're sorry, and convince him to come home," Wyatt sighed exasperated. His patience was wearing thin and quickly. How could his family be so calm? Ever since he heard they found his little brother, all Wyatt could think about is seeing Chris and making sure he was okay.

"Wyatt, I know you're anxious to see him… we all are! But we can't just ambush him and Bianca! That might just scare him away!" replied Phoebe as she watched her nephew's troubled face.

Wyatt scoffed, "Scare him away? What is he, a mouse? This is Chris we're talking about! My brother, your nephew! We've lived with him for eighteen years! We know him! Why are you all acting like he's a stranger?!"

"Because we didn't really _know _him! Don't you get it, Wyatt? Sure we've been living with him for eighteen years, but let's face it! None of us truly knew him!"

"Then what do you want me to do, Aunt Phoebe?! What do I have to do to get him back? I- i just want to see my little brother again…. why is it this hard?" Wyatt choked out as a tear fell upon his cheek.

Not having an answer herself, Phoebe just began to rub circles into his back, feeling guilty that she had taken out her anger on him when he himself was hurting.

"Piper?" Leo questioned as he glanced down at his wife who had yet to speak a word. She sat tense and rigid, staring meaningfully out the window. When she heard her husband's concerned voice, she turned and was met by her family's gaze.

"I think we should take things slow, I don't want to lose him again…" Piper added with a nod of her head.

"What if he doesn't want to see us?"

Everyone's head turned toward Ryan's huddled form in the corner of the living room. Although his voice was soft and only slightly above a whisper, his words hit everyone hard.

"What?" Leo asked his son again, studying him carefully.

"You guys are all ready to jump up and go meet him! Say your greetings and become one big happy family again. Has it ever crossed any of your minds that he may not want to see us?!" Ryan exclaimed, his face masked and void of emotion. At this point, everyone was thinking how eerily close he resembled Chris.

"Ryan, I get what you're saying….. but I can't just sit here knowing where he is. I have to do something," Wyatt explained, desperately trying to get his brother to see his point of view.

"I don't think we should all go up there. Seeing all of us on his doorsteps would probably intimidate him," Paige added.

"So… whose gonna go?" Phoebe asked. This was the question that was plaguing all of their minds. They all wanted to see him so desperately, how could any of them stay behind?

"Leo and I will go… we're his parents," Piper finally declared as everyone turned their attention towards her.

"No way! The last thing _he_ ever did with Chris is hit him!! Do you really think Chris wants to see him first? If anyone should go, it's me! I'm his big brother!" Wyatt replied with a determined face.

At his son's words, Leo looked away and felt the grip of guilt around his heart.

"Wyatt!" Phoebe, Paige, and Piper exclaimed at once.

"What?! There's no way I'm letting Mr. Child abuser get anywhere near my little brother!" Ever since the "event," Wyatt had been bitter towards Leo. Not for a second forgetting that his dad had actually laid a hand on his brother.

"I know you're dad made a… mistake. But we all did too! We can't go around playing the blame game. Right now we have to concentrate on helping your brother. I know you wan to see him, but we're his _parents._ That means we are going first, and I don't want to hear anymore arguments about it!"

* * *

Running his hands through his hair, Chris let out a frustrated sigh. Both elbows on the table, Chris glared at the bills that lay before him, wishing them away. Around him, the busy sounds of the small café buzzed around him.

He had told Bianca that his boss had asked him to come in today to work some extra hours, but in truth he had no intention of going to work. Not wanting Bianca to worry, Chris had brought all the bills with him and settled down at the little café on the corner of the street to sort out a plan. For the past couple of months, the bills seemed to come in an endless stream and kept piling up. The checks he received from work just didn't seem to cut it.

Beside him lay the morning paper opened to the jobs section, several large red circles littered the page.

After several hours of thinking, stressing, and worrying, the only solution Chris could come up with was to find a second job to work. There was no way he was letting Bianca work so close to her due date. There was also the baby to consider. The hospital bills, food, diapers, college fund- the list was just endless.

As his mind began to throb with the pressure and stress, Chris felt another wave of nausea sweep over him and the room began to slightly tilt. Closing his eyes, he rested his burning forehead against the cool surface of the table. For the past few weeks, the nightmares had been coming more frequently. The familiar nausea followed but soon developed into dizziness and migraines as well.

Hearing his watch's alarm ringing, Chris groaned as he lifted his head to see that it was already 3 o'clock. Time to go home. Grumbling as he stood up, he quickly stacked up the papers and roughly jammed them into his pocket. He knew he was acting childish and grumpy, but couldn't help it. He was still a teenager for crying out loud! Shouldn't he be allowed to be care free? To complain about little things such as girls? Whine to his parents about shallow things such as wanting a car? Only have to worry about getting good grades instead of bills and supporting a family?

Snorting to himself he bitterly thought, "That's just every other teenager but me."

A wave of guilt washed over him when he realized how selfish he was being.

'But is wanting to be a normal teen a selfish thought?'

Thinking he was just acting a little delerious from his fever, Chris shrugged off his thoughts and headed out the door.

Immediately after stepping out onto the bustling streets, the cold swept over him and seeped through his thin layers of clothing, biting into his flesh. As he dredgingly began his walk home against the current, the cold winds whipped across his face and stung at his cheeks.

'Great, just make things harder on me.'

Ducking his head, he wrapped his arms around his body to create some warmth. Despite the freezing temperatures, beads of sweat began to form across his forehead, 'Is it getting clammy?'

A wave of dizziness washed over him as he staggered along the sidewalk. With his mind swimming, he didn't notice anyone around him until he collided into a solid form who reached out to steady his swaying figure. He thought he heard a faint gasp in the distance but was in no state to even care.

Blindly groping for the nearest wall, he felt his hands meet a concrete surface and leaned his body up against it, eyes clenched close and his breath in labored gasps.

"Oh my gosh, Chris! Honey, what's wrong?! You're scaring me!"

His body froze, stomach dropped. 'This can not be happening. Why me? Why today?!'

"I can't do this... not right now... please... just once, can't i rest?" Chris silenlty plead.

Slowly opening his eyes and lifting his head, he was met by the teary gazes of his parents.

"Chris, you don't look so good. Let's get you to a hospital- where's the nearest hospital here? Should i call an ambulance? Jesus, I-.... I don't know what to say, what to do! it's... it's just so good to see you, son," Leo choked out as he reached to touch his son's face but froze when Chris just flinched away, anxiety and fear in his eyes.

"I'm... im sorry.. so, so sorry, Chris... please believe me! I missed you more than you can imagine..." Piper pleaded as she couldn't hold back the tears that welled in her throat.

Chris's mind was frantic, the pressure of all the emotions threatening to spill over and drive him over the edge. He unconsciously tightened his grip agaisnt the wall, knuckles drawn white.

Noticing her son's tense posture, Piper's heart shattered, "Chris... I just want you to know, I-"

He couldn't take it anymore. The pressure. His parents. The noise. Life.

All of his nausea forgotten, he did the one thing he always wanted to do. Run.

Pushing past his parents, ignoring their pained faces, leaving behind the drama, the stress, the responsibility; he pushed pass blurred faces and numbly ran, not once looking back.

Piper's face crumbled as she leaned against Leo for support, her pain running down her face in beads of tears,

"I love you, Chris.... I just wanted to let you know, I love you."

TBC...


	13. Chapter 13

I feel guilty because I haven't taken the time to thank my reviewers personally and I just want you guys to know how much your reviews do mean to me. I would make these replies on a separate chapter but it would screw up the whole numbering thing. So I know it's long but bare with me here (and if I forget your name, don't feel bad! Just let me know on your review and I'll definitely reply to you next time!)

**TurNArounD: **You're reading this in school? Haha, well glad to see it hit your emotional side! I'll try my best to update as soon as possible!

**Nhatters: **Glad you enjoyed! Don't cry! If that made you cry, you'll be sobbing in later chapters ::hint hint::

**les enfoires: **thanks for the complement! I'll try my best to update fast! I take French, but im not sure what your name means… sounds familiar.

**charmedchick4eva: **You read the WHOLE story in one sitting?! Wow, must've taken a while, huh? I know poor chris, right?! Haha, I keep saying that even though im the one writing the story!! Really appreciate the review!

**darkness healer: **Yeah, I felt bad for Piper too.. I mean, she IS his mom! I'm sorry about the cliffies! I just keep having the urge to end my chapters like that

**Sparkling Cherries: **Seriously, Chris is only eighteen! Too much pressure for a teen… but where would this story be without drama right? Haha, loved the review

**Nathy1000000: **Let me just say how much I appreciated the long review. It makes me so happy to read reviews where people tell me specific things they liked so I know what to include in my next chapter. I personally enjoy the brother bonding moments too! So I know to put some more of that in the next chapter… once again, thanks a lot for the long review! And by the way, I LOVE your story, Brothers Bond!!

**ilovedrew88: **You'll find out in later chapters what is going on with Chris… and I agree, Wyatt should've gone first! happy you liked it though!

**Jeff3: **Hey! You have no idea how much I enjoy people giving me suggestions on the next chapter so I'll definitely take your suggestions and put them to use in later chapters I personally love the three brother's bond too by the way, I absolutely LOVE your story "The Pain of Future Wrongs"… Out of all the fanfictions I've read, yours is definitely my number one favorite! So im flattered to get a compliment from you!

**hazza123: **Wow, that is really flattering! I really appreciate the encouragement and ill definitely try to update soon!

**darkdestiney2000: **Well, Leo isn't exactly known for having the best instinct is he?? Haha, well, appreciate the review! I'll try to update sooner!

**ChrisBianca: **happy to hear people are ACTUALLY waiting for an update from me and I'll definitely try to make my updates snappy-er (hehe)

**Mixer: **Wow, this is so flattering that people are actually getting hooked to my story Thank you so much for the compliments and glad to hear you like my style of writing! Don't worry, this fic still has a LONG way to go!

**Good Witch: **I am evil aren't i? I know how much I hate cliffies, yet I end every single one of my chapters on one… haha; well, I'll try to update sooner for ya

**Gemini099: **Glad you like! And im gonna try and post sooner!

**Sakari: **hahaha, loved the whole two-face personality thing ne ways, I've been hearing a lot of complaint on my slow update and I'm REALLY sorry about that.. all I can say in my defense is: I'm trying my best ne ways, thanks a lot for the review

**AntiPep4Life: **Let me just start of by saying how much I love your penname haha. As for Chris… you'll find out about his condition in future chapters and by the way, I love all of your stories (Acclimatization, The Importance of Being Chris, The Halliwell Brothers,And He'll Never Know… You're a fantastic writer!!)

**Shadow2 : **Glad you liked! I'll try to update ASAP!

**chattypandagurl: **Hey! Glad you enjoyed! It's hard displaying Chris's emotions without going over dramatic, but glad you think it's good! Chris's mysterious illness will be explained in later chapters!

**Queen of the Elven City: **appreciate the fact that you're reviewing!! Thanks for the compliment! I'll update soon as possible!

**Cornett: **Glad you're loving it! And Don't worry, this story still has a lot coming!!

**mugglewolf : **So, did you get your green day CD? I have their CD too, they're a great band! Anyways, this story is FILLED with plot twists!! So be prepared!

**Calen****: '**Oh no! Run Chris! Run!'- that was exactly what I was saying!! Hehe, thanks for reviewing!

**Uninformed: **Yup, they finally found him... but you'll have to keep reading to see if this is a good thing or if it will just make things worse! Thanks for reviewing!

**Shina : **That seems to be the question of the hour, What's wrong with Chris? That will be answered in future chapters… ne ways, the family finally finding Chris will have both it's neg. effects and the positive effects… you'll just have read to see which out weighs which.

**Simone1: **I'm sorry I didn't get to update sooner! But im definitely trying! Thanks for reviewing!

**CharmingAngelNL: **I don't know whether to be happy that people are crying from my story or sad! Haha well, thanks for the review!

**Ceres217: **Glad to hear your liking the story! Poor Chris seems to be the chant to my story! Haha, thanks for reviewing!

**shadowcat : **I'm sorry for keeping you waiting! But appreciate the review!

**darcy101 : **People really seem to like Prue, so I'll bring her back in a future chapter!! Thanks for reviewing!

**coveted-one: **You didn't offend me at all!! Im extremely flattered you like my story!! Thanks for the review!!

* * *

**Chapter 13**

"You LOST him?! What the hell does that mean?!"

"He saw us and ran before we got a chance to explain…" Leo whispered as he continued to rub small circles into Piper's back. Piper had her face in her hands, too overwhelmed to even argue with anyone.

"Great! Just fuckin' great!! Thanks a lot _dad_," Wyatt sarcastically sneered.

"Wyatt, would you stop YELLIING at people? It obviously isn't helping anyone, is it?!" Ryan remarked as he glared at his older brother's immaturity.

"I for one agree with Ryan. Everyone needs to calm down," Phoebe stated as she sided with her youngest nephew.

Paige, who was standing with her arms crossed, rolled her eyes, "Would you stop with the stupid pacifist, advice-columnist, crap! Cause its getting old!"

An offended Phoebe glared back at her sister, "Hey! I'm only trying to help here! So why don't you back off?!"

"Enough! Jesus Christ, would you guys stop?! We have more important things to do besides sibling bickering!!" Ryan exclaimed with clear annoyance.

"We wouldn't even be in this situation if _daddy dearest_ here had listened to my advice and stayed behind!" Wyatt butted in as he threw another glare in his father's direction.

"Will you freakin' stop!!" Ryan snarled.

"I'm older than you, so don't try and tell me what to do!"

"If you won't take advice from me, then will you take it from your nephew here and stop telling your older sister what to do?!!" Phoebe added as she watched Paige's face flush with anger.

"Maybe I would stop if my older sister wasn't such a bitc-"

"Everyone just shut up!! Shut the hell up!! My son is out there, that would be your brother and your nephew! He's upset, sick, and alone! If you guys are gonna continue to act selfish and immature, then just leave right now because I don't have time for this!!" Piper, who was on her feet, glowered at her family just waiting for one of them to leave. No one budged.

"H-he's sick?" Ryan questioned nervously, his face drawn and pale.

"I don't know, he didn't look too well," Leo replied as he wrapped an arm around his youngest son's shoulder.

"That's it! I let you guys try with your plan, now it's my turn to see him!" Wyatt demanded as he stared defiantly into his family's faces

"Wyatt-"

"No! I don't care anymore! He's _my _little brother! If he's sick or upset, I should be the one to help him! You guys can follow if you want, but there's no way you're stopping me this time…"

* * *

Chris lingered around the alleyway beside the apartment, not knowing what to do. He had walked to a park and just sat at a bench… thinking and observing. Watching the children run and play and enjoy the childhood that he knew he would never have. The thought plagued his mind and filled him with sorrow. His mind only eased when he thought about his unborn child; at that point, he vowed to make sure his child would enjoy the childhood he had always yearned for… no matter what it took, his child would have that. 

After hours of thinking, he had begun to worry about Bianca if he didn't return home soon. And now, here he was. Trying to relieve his tension before facing Bianca.

When he had seen his parents, his heart had frozen over. His mind and body numb. At first, he thought he had run from them out of anger or even grief. But when he carefully thought back on it, he didn't remember feeling a trace of fury or sadness; instead, he had felt…. happiness and relief. Up until that point, he didn't realize how much he had missed his parents. That was what scared him… that was the reason he had run.

Another chill washed across his body as he shivered. The night had fallen without him even realizing it and the temperature had fallen dramatically.

Shaking his head and letting out a sigh, Chris made his way inside the run-down apartment building. With no elevator service available, he began his path up the five flights of stairs and in front of the door leading to his apartment room. Catching his breath from the journey, he cautiously opened the door with his key, expecting a worried Bianca to jump down his throat.

"Bianca? Are you here? I'm sorry I took so long, the shift was a little longer than I-" but the rest of his words were lost in his throat as he took in the sight of his family and a pissed Bianca staring back at him from the living room.

'Someone must really hate me up there….' Chris silently thought to himself as he forced back a groan.

"We seem to have visitors, Chris. You know, the kind who refuse to leave!" Bianca snarled as her gaze emitted pure annoyance.

Before Chris even got a chance to reply, he felt two thick arms embrace him tightly from behind and almost knock him off balance.

"Whoa-" Chris startled as he felt trickles of warm tears fall upon the back of his shirt.

"Thank god, you're okay. I-I'm so sorry, Chris…. I'm sorry… for-for everything….You have no idea how sorry I am, please believe me…" Wyatt's voice choked out from behind.

Hearing Wyatt sob alarmed Chris more than anything. In his whole eighteen years of living with Wyatt, he had never heard him cry…._ever._ Finally hearing his big brother, the strong one, the twice-blessed child, break down into tears…. Well, that was more than a little disturbing.

Plying his older brother's grip apart, Chris turned around and faced Wyatt. Chris knew he probably looked horrible right now, but was shocked to find Wyatt in a similar state. The once perfectly groomed hair was shaggy and unkempt. His eyes, once crystal blue and dancing with joy and contempt, were blood-shot and dull.

Seeing his brother there…. Chris almost lost it. Until this point, he had been denying the fact that he was indeed homesick. Admitting how much he missed his family would only cause him to be weak… something he couldn't afford to be. But having his brother here; every bruise on his heart began to ache again… and the pain was more than he could bare.

"Hey, Wy." Chris was surprised to find his own voice hoarse with unshed tears.

Wyatt let his lips curl into a faint grin as he once again enveloped his brother into a tight embrace, "Hey, Chris."

"You look like crap."

Wyatt couldn't help but let out a choked laugh, "You too, bro."

Spotting Ryan in the corner, Chris released Wyatt from their embrace. Trying to avoid his gaze, Ryan was staring at a spot on the carpet, his face trembling with the effort to force behind the tears.

Smiling slightly, Chris made his way over to his youngest brother.

"Hey, Ryan," Chris tried as he glanced down at his brother.

He was surprised when his brother didn't reply but only stepped away from him. Trying to be reasonable, Chris managed to hide his pain and tried again, "I missed you."

This time Ryan raised his head and gazed back at him with tears flooding his face, "How could you do this to me? How could you leave me?!"

"Ryan!" Wyatt, Phoebe and Paige exclaimed all together.

Chris was startled at his brother's accusations and took a step back. His gaze fell to the floor uncomfortably and the tears he tried to suppress came unwillingly.

Seeing this, Leo took a step towards his son when he was abruptly cut off by a seething Bianca.

"Don't. Touch. Him." She snarled with fire in her eyes.

"Hey, back off! We're his family! You can't keep us from seeing him!" Paige replied with equal wrath.

"This is my house, I can do whatever I want!"

"We just want to talk to him," Phoebe butted in, trying to suppress her anger as well.

Bianca scoffed, "You had plenty of chances to do that in the past, why start now?!"

Standing by the sidelines as his family dueled it out, Chris felt the familiar nausea swirl up from the pit of his stomach and caused him to lean up against the nearest wall.

"Look, I just want to take my son back home to where he's safe!" Piper replied, not bothering to hide her annoyance or frustration.

"This _is _his home!!"

Wyatt let out a dark chuckle, "You call this a home?! Working all day when you're only eighteen, to support a family and keep a crappy looking apartment!! Yeah, I can really see how he wants to stay here."

'Uh-oh, not good…' Chris thought to himself.

Face flushed with anger, Bianca hit back hard, "So you think Chris would rather go back to a place where no one gives a shit about him, he's treated like a freaking house slave, and people slap him around?!"

There was a collective gasp from around the apartment.

"How. Dare. You." Paige growled.

"We may have made our mistakes in the past, but now we're only trying to fix it!!" Leo exclaimed.

Bianca snorted, "Give me a break! That sounds like a bunch of crap to me!"

"At least we're trying to do what's best for Chris unlike you!" Piper remarked with a firm cold voice.

Chris closed his eyes as his vision became blurred and the room began to tilt.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!"

"You can't honestly say that keeping Chris here is the best for him?! Working all day, feeding a family!! Putting him through all that stress so you can have a husband to play house with!!!" Wyatt barked.

"Don't flatter yourselves! You guys only want to take him back home so you can treat him royally and feel better about yourselves! Clear you conscience!! That's so not selfish at all!" Bianca remarked sarcastically as she rolled her eyes.

'Is it getting cold in here?' Chris thought as shivers began to course down his spine and beads of cold perspiration trickled down his forehead.

"There is no way in hell we are leaving him here!" Paige demanded.

"And you think I'll ever let you take him?!"

"He's my little brother!" Wyatt yelled.

"He's my fiancé AND the father of my child!" Bianca shot back with a quirky grin.

"How are we even sure that is his child?!" Piper called out exasperated.

Bianca nearly lost it as her face turned crimson in both fury and embarrassment, "Are you calling me a slut?!"

"You _are_ a demon!! How the hell are we supposed to know?!" Wyatt accused.

"I am NOT a demon!!"

Chris felt his knees begin to buckle as his head throbbed with pressure; black spots began to cloud his vision. 'What the hell is that damn ringing in my ear?'

"It doesn't matter! I am not letting my son destroy his life!!"

"Then you do agree with me, he should stay here!" Bianca replied with an arrogant smirk.

'Why won't the god damn room stop spinning?' Chris inwardly groaned.

"You know what?! I'm about this close to vanquishing you're sorry ass!" Phoebe snarled.

Bianca chuckled, "I would love to see you try."

"Don't tempt me," Wyatt replied.

'What the hell is wrong with my head…'

"He's staying here!"

"He's coming with us!"

'I'm gonna be sick…'

"Get out of my house!"

"Not without Chris!"

'Why are my hands shaking?'

"It's not your decision!"

"It's not yours either!"

'Oh shit, I have to sit down…'

"Fine!! Let's ask Chris! Chris, what do you want to do?!.... Chris?"

His vision finally succumbed to blackness as he felt his body pitch forward. The last thing he heard was someone screaming his name before all he knew was lost…

TBC…

* * *

**Important Notice: **Hey guys! There's an organization called "Until There's a Cure" that raises money for AIDS. They are selling bracelets to fund money for research on a cure. This personally affects my heart since my best friend has AIDS. They sell many different kinds of Bracelets, the cheapest are the colorful gel bracelets. I bought four. I'm encouraging all of you to buy at least one and pass on this message. It would be greatly appreciated. The website is www. until .org> (There is no space between the words, i can't put the url all together because the site won't let me post URLS) 

Please help out. And for everyone that has, much appreciation.


	14. Chapter14

**Chapter 14**

"_Why are you doing this to me?" Chris cried in a hoarse voice._

"_This is beyond my control…"_

"_I-I c-can't do this… please… haven't they taken enough from me?" _

"_Christopher… they can not stop what is coming, only foresee it. The rest lies upon your shoulders…"_

"_I'm not strong enough…"_

"_The power is within you… your mind is the only barrier that stops you from unleashing it. You can do this… I know you can. This is the reason you were born." _

Chris awoke with a low groan. Immediately he felt the aches of his tender muscles as he attempted to shift his legs. His head was slightly healed but still had

the faint trace of a migraine.

The bed that he lay upon felt unfamiliar and stiff which caused a shudder of panic to run through his spine. With his eyes still shut, he strained to recall his last memories.

'Bills. Family. Bianca. Fight. Passing out.'

With another groan, he immediately regretted ever trudging up those memories. He attempted to lift his arm but felt a sharp pain pull against his wrist. Upon opening his eyes, he discovered the IV needle that was embedded into his wrist.

'A hospital?'

At this, he immediately sat up despite his protesting body. The room was small and dimly lit. The only source of light available was the lamp by his bed that was casting eerie shadows across the walls.

Glancing across the room, Chris found a faint smile play on his lips as he saw his family sprayed out across the room dead asleep. His dad on the chair, head drooping to the side. His mom and Aunt Paige leaning upon each other over on the couch. What surprised him the most was his Aunt Phoebe with Bianca's head in her lap.

'Perhaps there's hope after all…"

At his bedside, he was surprised to find both his brothers fast asleep in awkward positions that would leave them sore in the morning.

Trying his best to remain silent, he cautiously moved his legs over the side of the bed. He found that even the slightest movements caused his body to ache and his head to pound. Ignoring his body's warnings, Chris lifted himself off the bed and onto his wobbly legs. He had made it halfway across the room before his unstable legs gave out from beneath him and he fell toppling over a chair on his way down.

The clattering noise awoke the others and before he knew it, he was squinting into the bright light that flooded the room and up into the faces of his anxious family members.

"Chris, when did you wake up? Are you alright?" Came the panicked voice of Piper as she kneeled at his side.

"Let's get you off the floor, first," Wyatt suggested. Before Chris even let out a word of protest, Wyatt had thrown an arm under his knees and lifted him onto his bed.

"I'm not crippled you know," Chris remarked as his Aunt Phoebe began to straighten out his covers.

"What were you thinking getting out of bed?" Leo asked with his brows creased in concern.

"I just wanted some water," Chris quietly gestured towards the fridge that was across the room, "My throat was scratchy."

"Oh," a sheepish Leo replied as Bianca scurried over to retrieve the water for him.

As Chris gratefully received the water from his fiancée and nourished his parched throat, the rest of the occupants shifted uncomfortably in the following awkward silence.

Beginning to feel nervous with everyone's attention drawn onto him, he attempted to break the ice, "So what exactly happened last night?"

Grateful for a release, Wyatt jumped in with a reply, "I'm not really sure. One minute we're all arguing, and the next you're on the floor knocked out and Aunt Paige is dialing 911."

Shocked Chris turned to his aunt and asked with disbelief, "You called 911?"

Looking abashed, she shrugged, "Okay, okay! Maybe I panicked a little! It's not every day my nephew drops unconscious to the floor!"

Trying to hide the smile that was tugging at his lips, Chris began to fiddle with the blanket.

Before another word could be uttered, an elderly looking man with a white lab coat strutted in staring down upon a clipboard. Looking up, he noticed the family's curious glances toward his abrupt appearance.

"I'm sorry, am I interrupting anything?"

Piper replied quickly, "Uh, no doctor. You're alright."

Smiling the man approached Chris's bedside, "Christopher Halliwell, I presume?"

Feeling slightly uncomfortable, Chris nodded, "Yeah, but you can call me Chris."

"Well Chris, it's nice to see you awake. I'm Dr. Erickson and I'll be looking after your case while you're here. I just have a few questions before I run some standard tests on you. Is that alright?"

"Uhm, yeah… sure…"

"The past few weeks, have you been experiencing any sharps pains to the chest region?" Dr. Erickson questioned as he made small notes onto his board.

"Uh… no... but-" Chris made a quick nervous glance towards his family before speaking again, "I've been getting a lot of sharp pains to my abdomen…"

"Chris! I'm your fiancée and you didn't think it was important enough to tell me this!" Bianca exclaimed with her arms crossed against her chest.

Ignoring her outbreak, the doctor continued his interrogation, "How long has this been going on?"

Chris hesitated but before he could answer, Wyatt interrupted, "He's been complaining about stomach pains for a couple of years now. When he was little, he used to get sick all the time."

Dr. Erickson noticed that Chris cringed when Wyatt mentioned this.

"Why was I not informed of this?" Piper questioned with an annoyed glance towards her two older sons.

"Or me?" Leo responded.

Finally noticing his patient's uneasiness, Dr. Erickson spoke up, "I think it would be best if we finished up here with everyone else gone."

"But we're his parents."

"I understand but it would be in the patient's better interest if the rest of the questions and the tests were done in privacy."

Begrudgingly, the rest of the occupants left the room.

Smiling down at the young boy's apparent relief, he asked, "Better?"

Chris immediately showed his gratitude, "Thank you."

"My only concern is for my patient's comfort, not his family's. So has there been any incessant vomiting? Coughing up blood?"

"It comes and goes…. I don't cough up blood, but sometimes it appears in my vomit."

"I see…"

Taking in a breath, Chris stared out the window, his heart thumping with unease, "D-Do you know what's wrong with me?"

Carefully tilting down his glasses, Dr. Erickson stared into the eyes of the young boy that sat before him. His eyes. Saddened by grief, afraid of life's harsh changes. Should he be honest and tell him what his symptoms were really indicating towards? Confirm his fears of the world's harsh nature? Or lie and wait till his diagnosis was positive… stall the pain….

Making up his mind, the doctor gave the boy a reassuring smile, "I can't be positive, but I'm sure you'll be fine. Let's just run a quick blood test and then let you're family back in. Alright?"

Just as the doctor was finishing up the blood test, his Aunt Phoebe's head popped out from the doorway, plastered with a wide grin across her face, "Hi, hate to be a bother but are we allowed back in yet? 'Cause we're all dying out here!"

Smiling, the doctor nodded, "I was just about to come get you guys."

As his family flooded back into the room, Chris resumed to picking the lint off his hospital blanket and forced himself from looking into the faces of any of his family members. He knew the question was coming, and he was afraid of the argument that was sure to follow…

"So we've finished up the tests and Chris here seems to be okay for now. I'll prescribe some medicine for his stomach pains and then you guys are all free to go. I just need someone to pay the bill at the front and the address where I can send the test results."

"Thanks a lot Dr. Erickson," Chris mumbled with a shy smile as he watched the older man leave.

Once again, the tension in the air quickly thickened.

"I think I'll go and pay the hospital bill, now," Leo quickly responded.

Feeling his stomach drop and his face flush with embarrassment, Chris muttered, "Thanks, dad. I-I promise I'll pay you back once I get out."

Leo felt like he had been punched in the gut when his son's words hit him. Leaning over across the bed, Leo placed a soft kiss across his son's forehead, "Don't ever feel like you owe us Chris. I'm you're father, its part of my job." With one last look at his son, Leo left.

"Look, Chris… I know I have no right to tell you what to do with your life… I mean, you're eighteen, but… I really wish you would consider coming back home… things will be different…" Piper begged as she stroked her son's hair.

Chris remained silent as he forced back a sob. 'You have no idea how bad I want to come home. I can't do this anymore… I don't want to be an adult anymore… just make everything okay, again… please, mom… for once… make everything okay…'. However, a glance towards Bianca and her swollen belly caused Chris to bite his tongue. He wasn't allowed to be a selfish anymore… he had more lives to consider now.

"Chris, we can make this work I promise… You, Bianca, and the baby can have my room. I'll share with, Ry. Just give us a chance, Chris… Give _me _a chance… I promise I can make it up to you. Whatever you want… just come home…" Wyatt pleaded with a hoarse voice.

"I-I know why you're hesitating, Chris. It's because of me and the baby isn't it? I-I know… it may be… rough for the first few weeks… even awkward. But I'm willing to make this work... if you really want this. I mean, when we get married, legally they're gonna become my family too. And I'm sure I can speak for the family when I say this but I want you to be _happy_. Not just putting up a mask to keep us from worrying… but really happy… I'm tired of seeing you hurt all the time, Chris! To always be the martyr… stop trying to protect everyone around you when you're the one in need! Chris… for once… do something for yourself… do this… let's go back home..." Bianca whispered in tears as she leaned her head onto Chris's shoulder.

"Alright…" Chris's choked voice whispered as he too leaned into the hug.

Wiping the tears from her face, Phoebe exclaimed in a grin, "Alright then, I'll go tell Leo the good news and give them our address."

"I'll go with you, I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm starved," Paige replied in an attempt to lighten the mood, as she held onto her stomach for emphasis, "Anyone else want to join me for some exquisite cafeteria food?"

"I think I'm going to stay here with Chris," Piper replied as she began to straighten out his blankets.

Before any of the others could reply, Chris cut in, "I think you guys should go eat. I mean, you guys probably haven't eaten since last night, am I right?"

"Yeah, but we're really fi-" Wyatt began but was cut short.

"I'll be fine by myself for 20 minutes, I'm a big boy... remember?" Chris teased.

Rolling their eyes, the rest of his family members stood up to leave under his request. But before they left, Chris stopped them, "Uhm… Ry? Can I talk to you for a bit? Please?"

Looking back at the doorway, he hesitated before closing it behind him and returning to his brother's bedside and taking a seat, "Yeah?"

Chris began to feel nervous once again, and stared down upon the blanket as he spoke, some habits are hard to break, "A-are you… mad at me?"

Ryan looked warily at his brother before closing his eyes and putting his head in his hands, "No."

"I'm sorry, Ry… what you said yesterday… you were right… I was selfish…" Chris choked out as he felt his eyes water.

Abruptly, Ryan stood up and grabbed Chris's water bottle before hurling it at the wall causing Chris to jump.

Whirling around at his brother, Ryan grabbed onto his shoulder before shaking him roughly, "What the hell is wrong with you! Tell me cause I sure as hell can't figure you out!"

Growing up with Ryan, Chris had always thought of his baby brother as the pacifist, always one for avoiding conflict and making people laugh. To find his brother transformed into the seething young man in front of him, full of pain and rage… well, it was a little alarming.

Despite the pain from his brother's harsh grip against his already sore arms, Chris bit back a cry, "Ryan… please… I'm sorry…"

"Stop it! Would you just fucking stop saying your sorry! Stop!" Ryan cried out as he continued to shake his brother's frail form.

"I love you, Ry… I didn't mean to hurt you..." Chris choked out with a sob.

He couldn't take it anymore, blinded by his rage… his own faltering guilt; Ryan slammed his fist into brother's face with all his weight.

"Stop it!" Ryan shrieked as he straddled his brother's form and slammed another fist into brother's face.

"Stop saying that!"

As Chris felt his brother's fist smash into his face and pain ripple throughout his frail form, he bit back a yelp and took it… knowing it was the only way to relieve his baby brother from his pent up grief.

He knew how it felt… to feel like your own pain, anger was tearing you up inside. To yearn for relief as you slowly began to die from your own anguish. Wanting to scream, kick, yell…. He only wished that someone was there for him then, to free him from his own hell.

When his arm began to tire, and the rain of fists slowly began to cease, Ryan gave out and fell into his bother's shoulders with sobs wracking over his body.

Feeling his brother's tears soak into his shoulder, Chris restrained his own shuddering sob as he stroked Ryan's hair, "I l-love you so much, Ry."

"Don't do this to me, Chris…" Ryan's muffled voice came through, "Don't… stop saying you love me…"

"Ryan, you're my baby brother…" Chris paused as tears began to stream down his face, gripping his brother in a steady hold, he continued with a choked voice "I'll always love you… always..."

"It's all m-my fault… how can you love me after everything that happened? I-I was an idiot… I was so selfish… I never meant to hurt you, Chris…

please b-believe me… I never wanted to h-hurt you…" Ryan sobbed as his shuddering breath caused his whole body to shake.

"Shh… I know…"

"How can you always be so calm? Hold everything in? Why didn't you ever tell me? I… I thought you trusted me…" Ryan murmured as he rested his head on his older brother's shoulder, too tired to move… or maybe too content.

"I would trust you with my life… You know that…"

"That's the whole point… I thought I knew everything about you! I thought we told each other everything! I guess I was being ignorant all along…"

"Ry, do you trust me?"

"Yeah…"

"Then trust me when I say, everything I do… is for you… I would never do anything that would intentionally hurt you. I love you… I didn't want you to worry…"

"Chris… if you really love me…don't ever do that again. For someone as smart as you, that was a pretty dumb thing to do…" Ryan remarked as his eyes slowly began to droop.

Chris had to smirk at his brother, "Well, love makes you do crazy things…"

"Are we okay, then?"

"Definitely."

"…. Chris?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry I kicked your ass…"

Chris let out a chuckle, "You know I could've taken you if I wanted, little bro."

"Whatever… Does your face hurt? It looks like it hurts…"

"I'll live… i'll live…"

"I'll babysit for a month, okay?"

"I'm sure Bianca will appreciate that."

"So whose gonna be your best man for the wedding?"

"I'm not getting into that."

"You know you're gonna pick me."

"I'm not sure Wy will like that."

"I'm sure Bianca will be looking for a brides mate…"

"If Wy ever hears you refer to him as a girl, he'll orb you back into that lake."

"Are you nervous?"

"About what?"

"Becoming a father… getting married…"

"Yeah."

"You know we're here to help you out."

"I know."

"Chris?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you gonna tell mom and dad I beat you up?"

"No. I'll tell them I ran into the wall… a classic excuse… Besides, Wy will never let me live it down if he found out I got my ass kicked by our little brother."

"True."

"Chris?"

"What now?"

"I just wanted to say, I love you."

"I love you too, Ry…. I love you too."

And as the two brothers slept in each other's embrace, they became ignorant once again to the onward fate the older of the two would be forced to endure. The journey had yet to begin. But with the support of each other and everyone around you, he could survive anything… right?

TBC…

* * *

This chapter is dedicated to **Jeff3**. I'm sorry it took me so long to write this chapter… but I ran into a dead end! Writer's block just sucks… I know it's not the greatest chapter in the world… but it's long! Right? Ne ways… you're turn! 

**What to expect in future chapters:**

I feel so bad that it took me so long to write this chapter, so here's a look at what's to come…

-'What's wrong with Chris's health?' you all ask? Don't worry… it'll be revealed in chapter 16!

-'What's the deal with Chris and his eerie dreams? And whose the other voice in the dream?' Well… you can say his dreams are a little foreshadowing. Expect to see those conversations again in future chapters! The other voice… well… let's just say destiny wants a word with Chris…

-Chris's health and the dreams are sorta intertwined…

-Expect the baby to be born in the next couple of chapters… but not before a major tragedy! It's gonna suck to write this part, but it needs to happen for this story to work.

-Don't let this chapter fool you! I would say things start to go into a downward spiral for Chris after this chapter. So don't be blinded by the happiness and the mushy affections.

-This story is gonna end with a very bitter-sweet ending… Depends on how you look at it. It's a tragedy for some, happiness and freedom for others. To tell you the truth, I'm not really sure how most of you will react to it…. But, on a good note, this story won't end for a very long time… this is only the beginning to the main plot!

-For the next chapter… expect some reuniting to happen with Bianca, Chris and the rest of the family… Maybe some fighting… but it will mostly be about understanding each other and coming to a mutual agreement.

-Well, can't give away too much!

-I have another story in mind… of course Chris centered… but im not sure if I want to start it yet… I think I might just concentrate on finishing this one first… although that may be a while… This new story is gonna be FULL of drama and angst! I think it might be a little over the top… I'm not even sure if I want to post it… hmm… any opinions?


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

"I love you, you know that right?" Chris asked softly as he continued to stroke Bianca's hair.

Bianca, who was cuddling by Chris's shoulder, snorted"Do you really think I would be marrying you if I thought otherwise?"

Smiling at his fiancée's sarcasm, Chris took the time to lapse in the relaxing atmosphere. The couple was sprawled out on their new bed in what used to be Wyatt's room. After his family had prodded him continuously on how his face had gotten bashed in, not for a second believing his story of running into the wall, they had finally given up once they realized the secret would forever stay between the two younger brothers.

Quickly being released from the care of the hospital, Chris had been orbed home, courtesy of his father, and ordered to rest while his other family member's packed his and Bianca's few belongings and moved it back to the manor. Wyatt had also insisted that he should go tell Chris's boss that he was quitting, refusing to let his brother out of bed. Chris suspected Wyatt had had a disagreement with his boss when he came storming pass the bedroom shortly after the meeting, muttering a few well chosen names. He knew it was wrong, but he couldn't help but feel a little satisfaction that his older brother had actually given that guy a piece of his mind after all the hell he put Chris through.

That had all been a week ago. He had to admit... it was awkward to be back with his family... back into this house. At first, Chris had to strain to hold back the bad memories from flooding his mind. Trying to remind himself that he should give everyone a fresh new start. But now, the tension of everyone tip-toeing around each other's boundaries was practically unbearable.

"So... Do you think this was for the best"? Chris questioned as he absently stared at the ceiling, slinging one arm around Bianca.

"Moving back home?"

"Yeah."

Lifting herself up, she propped her head onto her elbow and stared at her husband with confusion and concern"Are you having second thoughts? Is it... too soon for you to be with them?"

Letting out a deep and thoughtful sigh, Chris shook his head "I don't know what I'm thinking... but it's like every time I see them, there's always something so... unnatural about it. Stiff. Not like a family should be. I mean, me and Ryan are okay because we had it all out. We already eliminated the tension between us. But with everyone else... it's like a time bomb... ticking away... I know the blow out is soon to come... but I just don't know when."

"So you've been feeling the tension too, huh? I don't know how much longer I can keep up this fake cheerful, politeness with them either."

Shutting his eyes, he released a deep breath"I just can't seem to relax anywhere, huh?"

As she silently watched her fiancée suffer from his inner turmoil's, she felt herself get lost in her pity for him. No matter what she tried, it just didn't seem enough to help. She continued to muse when her thoughts were cut off,

"Don't."

Snapped from her thoughts, her gaze returned to the bright emerald eyes that stared back at her"Don't what?"

"Don't pity me. And stop blaming yourself."

Looking bewildered and slightly amused, she replied with a nonchalant shrug and bluffed "That's not what I was thinking at all."

Smirking in return, Chris looked slightly bemused"Oh really? What were you thinking then."

"About doing this." And with that, she straddled his waist and began to smother him with kisses.

"Bianca-don't-squash-the-baby" Chris breathed with a laugh in between kisses as he carefully placed a protective hand across the massive belly.

Giggling, she carefully began to unbutton Chris's shirt, all the while keeping her lips pressed against his. Just as Chris's shirt was about to be thrown off, the sound of orbs filled the room.

"Hey guys, did you know you're door was locked?" Ryan asked with a cocked eyebrow as he watched his brother scramble to get his shirt back on and Bianca turn a bright shade of red as she clambered off of his brother.

Glaring at the intruder, Chris sarcastically remarked"It obviously didn't stop you from entering. Knock around much, Ry?"

Not being able to resist teasing his brother, he replied "Clearly not as much as you two."

"Did you actually want something? You know, besides ruining my privacy?"

"Breakfast is ready."

Struggling to lift her disproportioned body, Bianca smiled before answering"Thanks, Ry. We'll be down in a sec."

"No problem, sis" Ryan teased back as he exited the room.

Chris had to smile at the two's interaction. 'Perhaps there's hope after all.'

* * *

"So how are you feeling today Chris?" Piper questioned as she took another sip of her coffee.

Shifting uncomfortably in his seat, he stared down at his plate and shrugged. "Okay, I guess" he muttered as he pushed the food around his plate. He wasn't used to having the attention placed on him, especially during a sit down meal. Resorting to his old ways, he avoided eye contact with any of the others and kept his head bent.

Swapping anxious glances with each other, Phoebe and Leo tried to fill the awkward pause with casual conversation.

"So Bianca, how's the morning sickness been? Not too bad I hope" Leo tried.

Phoebe quickly jumped in with a fake smile plastered across her face "Yeah, I remember Piper couldn't keep anything down with her pregnancies."

"Really. Uhm... they've been okay for me. Comes and goes... but that's natural during this stage of pregnancy so, I'm not too worried" Bianca replied as she chewed on her bottom lip and threw a quick glance towards Chris.

Once again, the room was filled with a thick silence that enveloped all the occupants of the room. The faint sound of silverware scraping against glass was heard as well the occasional slurping.

As Wyatt observed the stiffness between each of his family members, he tried hard to keep from rolling his eyes "Alright. It's been a week of this already. Can we just get out what we're gonna say, because I don't know about you guys, but I'm ready to bust."

Everyone's head turned towards Wyatt with a look of surprise from his sudden outburst, but also with look of interest since they had all been feeling the same way the past week.

Turning towards Chris, Wyatt looked him in the eye for a moment... contemplating what he was about to say. "Chris. I just want to let you know... I know I'm never going to be able to make it up to you, but-"

A look of panic and confusion swept over his younger brother's face as he swiftly interrupted "What? Wy... you didn't do anything wrong. And besides... all of that was the past. I just want to make a fresh start... with everyone."

Shaking her head, Paige couldn't help but bud in "It doesn't work like that though, Chris. I know you have past... issues with all of us. Let's face it. We screwed up royally as your family. There's gotta be some emotions bottled up inside of you. I don't know, Resentment. Disappointment. Anger. Something? You've gotta let it out Chris. We can't move on with you keeping those emotions inside of you."

"It's okay to let it out, Chris. We're here to listen. We all are. Don't worry about hurting us; we deserve hearing this from you. I'm willing to make this work between us. No matter what" Leo firmly stated as he gazed at his son's uneasy form.

Shutting his eyes, Chris looked away, being unable keep eye contact with anyone. That was always his one weakness. No matter how smoothly he could tell a lie, his eyes always revealed the truth.

"I don't blame you guys for anything... really... its over. I won't hold grudges" he whispered as he let out a shuddering breath.

Staring straight at his brother's slumped form, Wyatt shook his head "That's bull shit, and you know it Chris."

"Wyatt!" Piper exclaimed at Wyatt's harsh words.

Turning towards his mom, Wyatt held her gaze "What? He obviously isn't telling the truth! He's been doing this for the past eighteen years and look at where it got him!" Whipping around, Wyatt stood up off his chair knocking it backwards "If that's really how you feel, then why don't you look all of us in the eye and tell us again! Huh!"

Chris remained in his slumped position, face bent downwards and away from his family. Unable to conjure a reply.

"With you yelling like that, I don't blame him for not answering you?" Ryan remarked as he scowled at his oldest brother.

Wyatt couldn't help but snort "Easy for you to say after you became all chummy chummy with him!" At that, Ryan was left wordless as the truth behind those words struck him silent.

"Wyatt, you need to calm down."

"No! If Chris here won't tell me how he really feels, then I guess he'll just have to listen to me! I'm sorry, alright! I'm sorry! I'm sorry I wasn't there for you as much as I should've! I'm sorry I didn't take enough time to notice you were depressed! I'm sorry for everything, okay! But what the hell I don't understand is why you keep trying to pull this super hero act! Act human for once Chris! Scream, lose your temper, kick, fucking do _something_! Act selfish, think about yourself for once! Be a teen!" Wyatt searched desperately for a response from his brother, but when he found none, he felt the mounting frustration.

Prodding him sharply with his finger, Wyatt continued to scream at his brother "Why won't you just let it out! For once, just let it out Chris! Dammit, say _something_!"

Face flushed with fury, Bianca stood and gave Wyatt a strong shove"Don't touch him like that!"

"You know what, I'm sick of acting all goody goody with you! He's my little brother and I'll do whatever the hell I want!"

"Like I really enjoyed kissing everyone's ass here! And who the hell gave any of you the right to demand anything from Chris! If anything, you should be obeying his every order right now!"

"No one asked you to come here you know! So why don't you do all of us a favor and get the fuck out while I talk with my brother!"

Before anyone could release another word, Chris had Wyatt pinned up against the kitchen wall, face flushed with pure fury. Despite Chris's obvious physical handicap compared to his brother, he kept a strong hold as he glared daggers straight into his eyes.

"Don't you ever fucking talk like that to my wife again! You have no right to talk to her like that! Ever! None of you do!" Chris hissed as he released his brother from his death grip and backed away.

Piper reached out a hesitant hand towards Chris's shoulder "Calm down, sweetie. Everyone's just a little worked up right now..."

But Wyatt didn't seem to want to give in just yet "No, mom. Let him! What, Chris? Do I have to yell at your wife every time I want to get a rise out of you! To get you mad enough to react! Huh!"

Chris finally lost it at his brother's words, grabbing Wyatt by the front of his shirt Chris finally let the truth spill out as sobs wracked across his speech "I can't, alright! I can't let it out, because I don't freakin' know how! Is that what you want to hear, Wy? Is that what all of you want to hear! I can't act on my emotions because I don't know how! I can't throw temper tantrums or think about myself like a normal teen, because I don't know how to be a normal teen! Don't you get it! I've never been or never will be the normal teen you guys want me to be! So if you guys think me moving back here will let you guys catch up on my childhood and teenage years, you're wrong! Because I never _had _a childhood! I don't know how to be a kid! This is why I'm willing to give up _everything_ for this baby! I swore I would do anything in my power to make sure my child will h-have the ch-childhood I missed out on... bec-cause i know I-I'm never g-gonna have t-that c-ch-chance..."

As Chris fell to his knees sobbing, still clutching onto Wyatt, the room was left in a devastated shock with the new revelation.

Wyatt knelt down by his brother and clutched him tightly as he felt his own tears spill across "I'm s-sorry... I'm s-sorry, Chris..."

Piper silently knelt by her two sons as she softly rubbed soothing circles into her younger son's back, the other hand covering her mouth as she silently sobbed.

The tension was finally broken, but at the cost of a misfortune.

At precisely this bitter-sweet moment, a revelation was made as everyone finally let their grief out in heart wrenching sobs and gave comfort to the ones they valued most in life. For the first time ever, the Halliwells reached a mutual understanding.

Tbc...


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

A shiver washed down his spine as the bitter cold air whipped harshly through the night sky. Leaves rattled across the pavement and landed in the sandbox of the park. Shadows held an ominous atmosphere as the moon silently watched over the night.

Through the darkness, a slightly hunched figure was seen quietly watching the time pass as the low moans of the swing he sat upon were heard.

Chris couldn't remember how much time had actually elapsed since he had escaped from the manor and made his way to this park. Minutes? Hours? Days? It didn't really matter to him... Everything was numb. His mind, his body. He prayed to god that it would stay that way. He didn't want to feel it. The despair, the anguish, the tears that had been falling down his cheeks for hours now...

They had been taunting him the whole time, dangling the life they _knew _he yearned for. Putting it within his reach, but yanking it away just as his fingers grazed the surface. And it hurt more than he could ever imagine... Who knew the pain a few words could cause... In five minutes, everything he had was demolished.

He leaned his head back and held back the tears even though they still fell. Why he had chosen to come here? He couldn't actually say. Maybe because this was where he held so many of his childhood grudges. Memories that summed up his life in a neat little package.

He could remember coming here as child. Not with his family, but _alone. _Standing by the sidelines and watching all the other kids laugh and play... seeing parents sit and be content with just supervising.

Even at such an early age, he could still feel the weight of being _alone. _He had to laugh at that. _Alone_... the word itself represented his past, present and future. No matter what either he or his family did... it would never change the fact that he was _destined _to be _alone_... After all **_that was the reason he was born...

* * *

_**

**:Flashback: (Early that day at the manor)**

_"Are you sure you don't want to go for a check up?" an anxious Piper asked as she sat beside Bianca who was calmly sipping her tea with one hand on her protruding stomach._

_"I'm fine, Piper. Relax. The baby was just kicking a little hard this morning."_

_"Ohh!" Phoebe squealed as she reached over from her seat on the couch, "I want to feel the baby kick!"_

_"A little too late, the kicking slowed an hour ago," Chris replied as he sat holding his cup of coffee._

_A couple of days had passed since the breakfast table meltdown, but the few days had been the most productive for the Halliwell family. Reaching an understanding had allowed them to finally close the gap to becoming a real family. Old grudges were released; the anger that had been simmering underneath the surface had finally cooled down. A fresh new start had begun..._

_"But I mean, she's more than 7 months into her pregnancy. You two should really see a doctor by now," Piper continued her lecture has she threw nervous glances towards her husband._

_Leo sighed, "It could be the right thing to do. I mean, when you were born, you're mother did have some complications..."_

_Chris perked up at this and his brows suddenly began to crease with uneasiness, "W-what? So are you saying that the complications might be hereditary? Do you think the baby will be okay? Did we put Bianca and the baby at risk by not going to the doctor's earlier? Oh crap. Where's the nearest doctor's office around here? Is your doctor still around mom? Do you-"_

_Wyatt grimaced has he laid a hand on his hyperventilating brother, "Relax, bro. 1,2,3 breathe. 1,2,3 breathe. 1,2,3 breathe. Geez dad, way to give the guy a heart attack."_

_"Someone needs to chill out..." Ryan sniggered as he sat beside Bianca and tried to feel the baby kicking._

_"But how are we supposed to know what color clothes to buy or whether we should be looking at little teddy bears or cute toy trucks? And what color are we going to use to decorate the nursery? Ahh, I'm getting excited just thinking about it!" Paige exclaimed as she mentally began to note all the things she could buy for her great niece or nephew._

_"Have you thought of names yet?" Leo questioned as he casually faced his son and daughter in law. He noticed the quick shy smile that passed between the couple before they turned to face him._

_"Uhmm.. about that..." Chris began._

_"Yeah. We're sort of having a disagreement about names. We can't seem to decide on one," Bianca finished._

_"Well that's what the cool uncles are for. To eliminate having their niece or nephew named something like Dwayne or Cookie... something you know will cause them to be the laughing stock of all 12 years of school. So shoot," Ryan suggested._

_"Well," Chris began as he shot Bianca a nervous look, "If it was a girl, I was thinking Audrey or Candace. And if it was a boy, Joshua or Michael."_

_"I like Mackenzie or Ashlee for a girl and Aidan or Joshua for a boy."_

_"How about Matthew for if it was a boy?" Wyatt suggested with a smirk._

_"Stop being so arrogant," Phoebe teased her nephew._

_Everyone laughed as Wyatt's face burned red and he uncomfortably looked away with a grin._

_As everyone began to put their input about the name of his unborn child, Chris looked away from his family and grimaced as another spasm of pain ripped through his abdomen. This had been happening quite frequently lately causing Chris to worry slightly. Was this normal? Maybe an ulcer or something..._

_Digging his nails into the palm of his hand, Chris held back a groan as he felt a searing pain wash over him causing ever nerve in his body to scream. He couldn't do this anymore, 'I need to get out of here...'_

_Clearing his throat with much difficulty, everyone ceased in their conversation to stare at him, "I think I'm going to lay down for a bit, I didn't get much sleep last night."_

_Piper frowned as she studied her son's face, "Alright, I'll come check on you in an hour."_

_Chris nodded his head feverishly as he used all of his self restraint to walk calmly out of the room without screaming out in pain or collapsing from the intensity._

_-_

_**:Chris's Sleep:**_

_"What do you want! I'm sick and tired of this! You can't bring me up here every night and expect me to not ask questions!" Chris screamed with frustration as he stared at the hooded figure in front of him._

_"I know you more than you think, of course you'll ask questions... It's in your nature to be cautious and wary..."_

_"Then answer them dammit! There has to be a reason for all of this! You wouldn't be sending me all those dreams if there wasn't a reason!"_

_"There is a reason."_

_Chris grunted in frustration as he glowered at the figure before him, "Are you gonna tell me the reason?"_

_"To warn you."_

_With a puzzled face, Chris studied the hooded creature before him, "Warn me? Of what?"_

_"You're role."_

_Getting frustrated at the short responses Chris responded in a sarcastic voice, "Listen, if you're gonna be blunt with me, might as well send me back right now. I'm passed this. I have a life right now. I have a family who loves me and a baby on the way. My life is going great, I don't have time for mind games."_

_"Are you sure it will continue that way?"_

_"This is big, Christopher. Bigger than you can even imagine-"_

_"What's BIG! What role! I have no idea what you're talking about!"_

_"The end is coming and the outcome depends on you."_

_"The end of what?"_

_"Good or evil."_

_Chris stared. His mouth tense and his face rigid, "Stop."_

_"You're whole life, every little thing that happened to you. It happened for a reason. Nothing was a coincidence. Ever second of your life was there to lead you to one end."_

_"I don't want to hear this-"_

_"You knew, Christopher. You were never ordinary. You were born for one reason."_

_"Stop! Just freaking stop! I don't what to hear this, any of it!"_

_"I'm only telling you what you need to hear."_

_"Need to hear! You can't do this to me! You can't pull me from my life just when everything is great and drop a bomb shell like this! You can't fucking to do this to me!"_

_"We didn't do anything to you. We have known about you're birth before you were even conceived. This is bigger than you can imagine, Chris. Everything depends on you..."_

_Chris had turned away from the speaker, unable to speak. This couldn't be happening... Please... Tears were forming before he could even attempt to stop them, "What if I refuse?... What will happen then?"_

_The speaker hesitated before he spoke as he stared at the young man in front of him. Because that was who he was. He was barely 18. "If you refuse... then we lose... Our survival is your responsibility..."_

_Chris turned around as angry tears began to spill across his face, "I didn't ask for this responsibility! I never asked for any of this! I just wanted a normal life!"_

_"I never wished this upon you, Chris. Really. But this is beyond either of us."_

_"I have a child on the way! Do you understand that! I can't risk putting any of my family at risk! I CAN"T do this!"_

"_If you don't do this… more than your family will be hurt….."_

_Chris fell to his knees as he wrenched his eyes closed, "Don't do this to me…. Make it stop, please. I'm begging you…. Pick someone else."_

"_I can't control this. This is bigger than even me. Believe me, Christopher. If I could help you…. I would."_

_From his knees, Chris looked up into the hood of the one that stood before him, eyes rimmed with tears, "I can't do this… I'm sorry."_

_The being studied the fallen teen and responded with hesitation. Knowing what would happen now. Regretting to have to put the child through this. "Maybe... maybe what happens next might change you're mind..."_

_-_

_Chris woke up gasping as he lay alone in the bed with sweat soaking the sheets. He felt his body shaking as he sat there. Breath quivering._

_He felt his heart jump through his chest when the phone beside his bed began to ring._

'maybe what happens next might change you're mind...'

_The phone continued to ring as Chris stared at it, fearing what would come of the phone call._

_With a shaking hand, Chris picked the receiver from the cradle and hesitantly put it to his ear. "Hello?" he asked in a hoarse voice._

_"Hello, may I speak to Chris Halliwell please?"_

_Clearing his voice, he replied, "This is he..."_

_"Chris, this is Dr. Erickson from the UCSD hospital .I was hoping you would be the one to answer. I have some news and I thought you should be the first one to hear it. Do you have a minute to talk?"_

_"Uh, yeah... sure... w-what is it you want to talk about?"_

_"Well... you're tests results are in. And I'm afraid it isn't good news..."

* * *

_

**:End Flashback:**

As he continued to sob into the night, the world kept on spinning. And he knew it wouldn't stop unless he failed to act. He had no choice... He knew from the moment he was told of his fate, he would have to accept it.

So once again with the weight of the world on his shoulders, he grieved alone…

And just like that, his world began to collapse...

TBC...

* * *

**AN:** A bit of writer blocks on this one... does anyone want me to continue 'I Need You'? Tell me if I'm wasting my time with that... and be honest, I can take criticism names for the baby... I was gonna have a vote, but I want it to be a surprise. I already picked one. Sorry if you won't like it! But still a few more chapters till then! 


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

"_Am I going to die?" Chris questioned as he sat, back against the wall in the same blindingly white room he always seemed to revisit as soon as he drifted out of consciousness._

"_Maybe….. I can't say," the hooded figure replied as he stood observing the teen whom he had come to care for over the past years he had been assigned to watch over the boy's fate._

_At the reply he received, Chris couldn't help but to shut his eyes as his heart dropped and his guts wrenched._

"_Will I…… will I at least see my baby born?" Chris whispered, his voice hoarse with tears that were dying to be released._

"_I can't see into the future, Chris. My job is to guide you to your fate and enlighten you with enough information to do what you need to do. But there is only so much I can help you with…… the rest is up to you……"_

"_But how!" Chris leapt to his feet, his patience wearing thin and his mind on the verge of hysteria, "How am I supposed to know when to step in! I don't know what to do! Jesus Christ, when will I know what to do!"_

"_All I can say is, what needs to happen will happen… when you are needed, you'll know. Just listen to your heart, Chris. It'll lay out your path……"_

"_Do you know how much I hate your cryptic bull shit?"_

"_I'm sorry, but all I can give you is my so called 'Cryptic Bull Shit'….. we'll meet again soon. Just remember what I told you. What needs to happen will happen……."_

_Chris's vision began to swirl as the white room slowly began to fade along with the mysterious figure that haunted his dreams…..

* * *

_

So here he was again, wallowing alone in the dead of the night at the abandoned park where he had been visiting frequently as soon as he woke from the dreaded dreams.

God he hated it. Having to know his life was about to take a drastic turn for the worse…. and he had no control over anything.

Chris buried his face into his hands as he sat shivering on the stiff bench. The night had never appeared as lifeless as it did tonight.

"Chris?"

Startled at the tentative hand that brushed his shoulder, Chris leapt out of his seat and whirled around only to be faced with an uncertain Wyatt

Hurriedly brushing away the tears that had cascaded down his cheeks, he tried to play it off as he remarked, "What're you doing here, Wy? Shouldn't you be sleeping?"  
Wyatt, who had obviously been sleeping as he was clad in his Pajama bottoms, a heavy grey hoody and his worn out jacket, replied, "I could say the same for you."

Chris stood awkwardly at his brother's intense gaze as he shifted his weight not knowing what to say.

Noting Chris's discomforted pose, Wyatt sighed as he gestured for his younger brother to sit back down on the bench where he took a seat beside him.

Both brothers's not knowing where to start just sat soaking in the airy night.

Wyatt felt Chris shiver beside him as he noted that the younger teen was dressed in only a long sleeve shirt.

"If you're gonna run off into the night, at least dress warm," Wyatt scolded as he removed his own jacket to drape it over the slim figure.

"How'd you know I would be here?"

"I don't know…. You can call it a brother's intuition I guess….."

"Are you gonna get mad at me now?"

Turning his head to stare at his brother, Wyatt slowly shook his head, "I'm not mad, Chris….. I'm worried. You've been acting depressed lately. Not eating as much, always looking tired, withdrawing from everything…… What's going on?"

"Nothin-"

"And don't you DARE say 'nothing'. Chris….. I thought you could talk to me……."

Taking in a quivering breath, Chris shook his head, "I can talk to you, Wy…… It's just- I'm so lost right now. I don't know what to do. Every time I think about it, I think I'm going insane…. God, I think I'm losing my mind……"

"Chris, let me help you! I understand if you don't want to worry every one else… but this is me! You're big brother! Let me be the one to help. Please…"

Unable to find his voice, he just let out a soft sob as he sat crying into his brother's arms, not knowing what else to do.

With an arm around Chris, Wyatt began to rub small circles as he began whispering words of comfort into his brother's ears.

"Please…. Just tell me, Chris. You're scaring me. What happened?"

"I- I got a call….."

"About what? It's okay. Just let it out, Chris. I promise I won't tell anyone if you don't want. I just want to help, okay?"

Trying to gather enough sanity and composure to say it, Chris began to babble, "I don't know what's happening! I thought after I came here, everything was getting better. I had you guys and Bianca and we were all okay. Then I started hurting again and I was always throwing up, the dreams kept reoccuring but I couldn't tell any of you. I thought it was just a little ulcer or something. But then the doctor called and said- he……"

"What? What'd he say Chris? Are you okay?"

Shaking his head, Chris replied, "I'm not going to be okay, Wy….." A sob escaped his lips as the words struggled to be released, "I'm never going to be okay……"

Beginning to panic, Wyatt grabbed his brother by the shoulder and looked into his eyes, "Chris…. What exactly did the doctor say?"

"I guess I don't have that long after all….."

"What's that suppose to mean!"

"It means…." Chris took in a breath as the hysteria passed over and silent tears fell upon his cheeks, "That I have stomach cancer…. and it's already too late to cure it….."

A stunned silence….. the breeze that blew between the two brothers felt dead, and the stars seemed to dim away.

"Wh-what?"

Shaking his head, Chris started to chuckle despite the tears that still ran freely down his face, "I believe his exact words were, 'The best we can do right now is to get you some pain killers, enough to keep you comfortable and for you to spend as much time with your family as possible'…….I guess this was all a big joke….. fate just wanted to fuck with me……. Kinda funny really… I mean just when I start a family and think I'm living my life to the fullest, _they _take it away in five minutes….._five freakin' minutes……_"

All Wyatt could do was stare…. What the hell was going on? Was he still dreaming?

"Chris," Wyatt whispered in a deadly tone, "If you're messing with me right now, I swear I'll kick the shit out of you……"

Exhaling into the chilly night, Chris just shook his head, "I really wish I was lying, Wyatt….. Do you know how much I would give to tell you I was just joking around right now? But I can't…. This is reality and I've got to deal with it…."

"Does Bianca know? Ryan?"

"No….. just you. I don't want you telling them either. Not yet anyway…. I've just got to sort some stuff out right now…. I don't think I'll be able to handle all of the coddling or pity."

"Jesus Christ….. Why you, Chris? My gosh…. You don't deserve this!" Wyatt abruptly rose from his seat and kicked it with all his strength leaving behind an eerie echo from the bars vibrating as he screamed into the night's air, "Why him! Why does it have to be him! Gosh! He DOESN'T deserve this! He's better than this! He's eighteen! Is this how you guys get your kicks up there! Toying around with kid's lives! If you want to screw with someone, freakin' take me! Leave my brother the HELL alone! God…… just leave him alone!"

Wyatt was left panting as his breath wasted away with his words and all that was left behind were his broken sobs as an arm from behind wrapped around him.

"It's okay. I was mad at first too… But I guess we just have to accept what life throws at us. I guess we just have to accept this may be my fate…"

Turning around, he enveloped his brother into a tight embrace as he began reassuring him with his "big brother" tone his parents used to always tease him about, "Don't worry, Chris… I'll fix this. I promise, even if it means risking everything… I'll get things right again… you'll see…"

Just leaning into the embrace, Chris blinked back his tears not even bothering to correct his brother, 'There's nothing you can do… God, if you only knew the other half, Wy….. If you only knew how deep the roots run….'

* * *

"Would you stop!" Chris suddenly exclaimed as he whirled around from his spot on the couch to face Wyatt who was staring at him from behind as he leaned against the door frame.

It had been two weeks from "The Night", and Chris just couldn't take the "You're about to break" look Wyatt kept shooting him every chance he could.

"What?" Wyatt replied as he tried to act nonchalant.

Scoffing, Chris remarked, "Why are you here? You're like 24…. Shouldn't you be far far away from home by now like normal twenty-something year old people?"

"It's cause he doesn't want to be away from his mom's wonderful cooking, isn't that right sweetheart?" Piper butted in as she made her entrance from the kitchen doorway where she spotted her two older sons bantering away.

Rolling his eyes, Wyatt just turned and walked away before facing further humiliation from his family.

On his way out, he ran into Bianca who was just making her way in.

"Ouch! Hey, watch where you point that massive thing!" Wyatt exclaimed as he pointed to his sister in laws protruding stomach.

"What, you think I like walking around with a beach ball sticking out from my front!"

"You shouldn't even be up in the first place! I thought pregnant people were limited to bed rest."

"Do I look like any other pregnant woman? Like I could really sit in bed and do nothing."

Wyatt just shook his head as he offered her an arm of support and led her into the living room where his brother and mom were sitting and chatting away.

"Look who stumbled down the stairs, she-" Wyatt began but was cut off by a whirling energy ball that barely missed his head and instead made a solid hit with the side wall.

Alerted by the noise, Chris and Piper stood to find four demons standing, all armed with swirling masses of blue energy, in their hands ready to go.

"Wyatt, get Bianca out of here! Now!" Chris exclaimed as he slung his arms sending a demon hurling into a wall.

Without a second thought, Wyatt and Bianca disappeared in a mass of blue and white.

"Chris, duck!"

Following his mom's advice, Chris was barely grazed by the rogue energy ball as it left a slight burn on his left shoulder.

Having enough, Piper stood from her spot behind the couch and flicked her fingers sending one of the lurking demons into a thick pile of dust.

Whirling around, she was faced with an energy ball making its path towards her. Just as she began to flinch away, the mass of energy changed its path only to be sent back to its sender as he blew into a thousand pieces.

"Thanks, Wyatt," Piper exhaled as her son made his way over to her.

"Where's Chris?" Wyatt questioned as he anxiously looked for his brother. His question was answered with the cry of the third demon as he met his demise and Chris making his way through the rubble.

"You alright?" Piper questioned as her gaze flickered toward the minor should wound.

"Yeah, no biggie. Should we call dad, Ryan, and the others?"

"I don't think that would be necess-" Piper began but was met with loud "Shush!" from her oldest son.

Her eyes wide open in disbelief, she glared back and began to scold, "Hey mister! Don't you shush your mom! Whe-"

"Mom. There were four demons. We only got three of them….. where's the last demon?"

All three of their senses were on high alert as they began watching for signs of another creature in the room with them. As the three began searching around, Chris suddenly halted in his place as his heart dropped out of his chest.

"Wyatt….. Where'd you take Bianca?"

Curious at his brother's dreading tone, Wyatt turned around, "Upstairs in the attic, why?"

An earth shattering scream echoed throughout the house and before another word could be uttered, the three were already half way up the stairs…..

**TBC…..**


	18. Chapter 18

**AN:** Sorry, I've been in Australia for the past two months, didn't really have time to update. I'll keep trying my best to update as soon as possible. "I Need You" update soon to come, I promise. 

**Chapter 18**

Wrenching the attic door wide ajar, Chris barged through only to skid to a stop as he witnessed his wife with an athame to her throat.

"Well, seems as though I am graced by the presence of the almighty Christopher Halliwell," the demon replied cockily as he watched Piper and Wyatt fall to a sudden halt behind Chris whose eyes couldn't seem to leave Bianca's.

"Alright buddy, I don't know who you think you are but I'll give you ten seconds to drop that knife and step away from the future daughter in law," Piper warned as she raised her arms for emphasis, prepared to use her powers if necessary.

The demon gave a snort as he disregarded the empty threat, "If you haven't noticed, I'm in a position where I can kill her faster than you can even twitch those pretty little fingers."

"Bastard, just-let-me-go!" Bianca snarled as she struggled against the demon's hold while attempting to back away from the blade that was uncomfortably close to breaking through her skin.

Ignoring her futile attempts, the demon just turned towards Chris who now seemed to snap out of his temporary shock and was studying the demon with a stony face, "Who are you?"

Smirking, the demon replied, "Again, I don't really think you're in a position to ask me of anything."

Giving a low snarl of frustration, Wyatt took a menacing step forward, "Quit the games and answer the fucking question."

Letting out a mocking sigh, he answered with a grin, "You can call me Callie."

"Callie?" Bianca questioned with a hint of disbelief and a snort.

"What do you want?" Chris asked as he continued to look him dead in the eye with an emotionless facade.

"Just to meet the 'Almighty Chris Halliwell', the savior as I hear it. Thought maybe we could talk for a bit, get to know each other. Though I have to say, I am surprised. You're not what I expected. From all that buzz about the one savior, just thought maybe you'd be older, bigger. But you've got that whole intimidating thing going on with your eyes," Callie gave a short bark of laughter, "For a while, I was sure they had the wrong Halliwell. After all, you would think this was a job for the 'Mighty Twice Blessed Child', wouldn't you?"

Absorbing the little information the demon was handing out, Chris tried to find a way to bargain with the demon, "If you let her go I'll tell you what you want to know."

"See, I think I'd feel more comfortable in a more private area, away from prying ears if you know what I mean," he teased as Callie watched for a reaction.

"Fine."

Turning towards Chris, spontaneously both Piper and Wyatt gave him a glare accompanied with a firm, "No!"

"It's not your choice so bud out," Chris replied as he stepped towards Callie who watched with an amused grin.

"Chris, I swear if you go anywhere with that demon I will make sure you never see daylight again," Piper exclaimed as she fixed him with a stern glare.

Ignoring his mom's protest, Chris just simply replied with a, "Where?"

Extending his free hand, the demon said, "Just hold on."

Wyatt began panicking, "You touch him, Chris, then I will kick your sorry ass-"

"Let her go first," Chris interrupted as he nodded towards Bianca who was now just watching the exchange with an anxious look.

"Actually, I thought maybe you'd be more willing to answer my questions if we had her by our side, so I say she comes with us."

"I'll only answer if you drop the athame."

"You follow me then I will."

Pondering his choices for a brief second, Chris took one look at Bianca's eyes and without another thought grabbed the hand.

* * *

Shimmering into a dimly lit room aligned with cavernous walls, the three occupants were barely outlined through the flickering candle lights.

"Alright, let her go," Chris watched as the demon still held the athame to his fiancé's bare throat.

Slowly mocking Chris, Callie made out as though pondering his choices, "Yeah, about that whole 'letting her go when we get here thing', don't really think that's gonna happen."

"You son-of-a-bitch" Bianca began to snarl furious as she continued to struggle against the hold.

Beginning to panic as he watched the blade bite deeper and deeper into Bianca's throat, Chris began brain storming all his possible choices to get around the situation.

"You probably won't think of just leaving your wife here but just in case the thought wondered across your head this place is an 'anti-orbing' zone so you can just forget about that. See, when I was choosing places to meet, I wanted to make sure I wasn't rudely interrupted by a sudden departure."

Looking around his surroundings once more, Chris swallowed a nervous gulp as he realized there was no easy way out of this one.

* * *

"You just let him go! After decades of dealing with demons, it never crossed your mind that it could be, I dunno…. Maybe a TRAP!" Paige exclaimed as she and the rest of the family paced the attic.

"Do you really think I would just let Chris and his pregnant wife go with a demon, Paige?" Piper replied exasperated as she waited anxiously for Wyatt to come up with a spell or for Phoebe to of located them with the scrying crystal.

"Shouldn't dad of come back by now?" Ryan questioned as he nervously wrung his hands out watching his family bicker.

"You know how your dad likes to take his PRECIOUS TIME IN TIMES OF CRISISES!" Piper yelled the last part as she gave one of many nasty looks 'up-there'.

"I think I got something here," Wyatt exclaimed from the corner of the room he had isolated himself to while scribbling madly onto a notepad.

Everyone gathered around Wyatt as he began to explain, "Obviously there's some kinda cloaking around where the demon took them since aunt Phoebe's scrying isn't any use at all so that crosses out orbing. But if we modify this spell to find a lost love and use it to find Chris instead then the spell will just automatically take us to where Chris is."

"First of all, we don't even know how to vanquish this demon. Second of all, that spell just lets you astral project over so even if we do get there we're still defenseless, cause the whole 'can't use powers while you're in your astral form' thing," Phoebe pointed out.

"It's worth a shot. I don't want to risk wasting any more time, let's just hurry and adjust the spell first," Piper ordered as she apprehensively stared at the clock.

* * *

"You know who I am, don't you Christopher? I assume you heard the prophecy and well….. you are a smart boy. You probably put the pieces together."

"Just leave Bianca out of it, she's not who you want."

"Chris, what aren't you telling me?" Bianca questioned as she took in the quick exchange.

"So you haven't told her? I'm assuming you haven't told the rest of your family either? Trying to carry the world's burdens all on your shoulder. That's one of your weak points, you know? Always playing the martyr. Among other weaknesses…" He trailed off as he stared down at a struggling Bianca. "Number one rule on being a hero, never let your opponent know your weaknesses. Cause when they find those weak points, they just hit each and every one till you crumble.

"It amazes me how they choose a kid as their last savior. Either appearances are very deceiving and you do pack quite a punch behind that scrawny body or someone's a pure idiot."

"If you're here just to make small talk and taunt me, I can tell you now I'm not interested. Let's just settle this right now," Chris suggested.

"Now Christopher, why so rushed? When I told you I just wanted to talk, I wasn't lying. No need to resort to force, now. There'll be plenty time for bloodshed later on," Callie taunted with a hint of venom behind his words.

With a stony face, Chris stared into his counterpart's eyes and scoffed, "So you're telling me that after all this you're just going to leave?"

Nodding his head as though agreeing with Chris, Callie gave a smirk as he replied, "I see your point. It's not like me to go through all this and just leave without some bloodshed….." With a sudden snap of the wrist, he removed the athame away from Bianca's throat and straight through her upper chest. A sickening thud rang throughout the room as the heavy body dropped to floor along with the clatter of the fallen athame.

As a frantic Chris ran across the room, Callie just nodded satisfied, "Now that's more like me." And with a shimmer he was gone.

Falling to his knees, Chris gently lifted Bianca's head upon his lap as he hysterically checked for a pulse, "Bianca? Come on, please…. Bianca…"

"Hey…" a hoarse voice responded as she managed a grin while looking into glassy emerald eyes.

"Don't talk, okay? Just hang on, hang on for me. I'm gonna get you out of here. You and the baby are gonna be fine, you have to be fine…. Everythings gonna work, just try to relax," Chris desperately covered the large gaping wound with his quivering hands to try and slow down the blood flow, although the red substance slowly escaped between his finger tips, "Don't leave me."

* * *

"Ready?" Wyatt questioned as the rest of his family stood in the middle of the attic.

He then began to chant:

_Take our spirits  
Wherever he be  
Through time and space  
Take our hearts near to thee_

Suddenly, Wyatt's body collapsed to the floor with a loud thud.

"Dammit, the spell only took, Wyatt," Phoebe muttered as she rubbed her forehead with annoyance, "What do we do now?"

Piper's gaze remained on Wyatt as her answer made her inside churn, "We just hope Wyatt's enough to bring them back."

* * *

"I love you," she whispered as a lonely tear made its way down her face.

Trying to increase the pressure on the wound, Chris 's shoulder began to shake with subdued sobs, "No, you can't do this to me! You're not going to leave me! I-I can't get through this without you. Bianca…. Promise me you're going to stay with me. Tell me your not gonna leave me."

Her blue lips lifted into a shaky grin as she caressed the side of his face wet with tears as her own made its course down the side of her face.

Shaking his head slowly, he barely choked out his words, "Say it…. Please….. just tell me once…. Tell me you're not gonna leave me….. Dammit, promise me!"

"You know," she struggled for words, "you know everything happens for a reason."

His face contorted in pain as he tried to hold back the sob while shaking his head, "We were meant to be together….. You know that! Why are you lying to me?" Chris's voice shook as he looked down at his wife with puffy blood shot eyes, "Why are you leaving me?"

Gathering her last breath, Bianca smiled as she just held onto one of his hands and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

His whole body shaking with suppressed sobs, Chris rested his forehead on hers, as he held onto her hand tighter.

"Chris?" Wyatt's quiet voice made Chris's head rise as he took in sight of his brother standing across the room trying to take in the scene that lay before him.

"Wyatt, thank god! You've gotta get over here quick, she's running out of time. Just heal her, please!" Chris pleaded desperately as he kept a strong grip on one of her hands.

Seeing his little brother's tear soaked face, eye's completely blood shot and body quivering with hysteria, Wyatt didn't have the heart to tell him that he was merely an astral projection and that he couldn't heal. His own eyes burning with un-shed tears Wyatt made his way over to the two and placed a shaking hand over his sister-in-law's wound. He wasn't surprised when the familiar warm glow didn't appear.

"Why isn't it working? Wyatt, maybe you're not trying hard enough? Try it again!" Chris demanded as he urged his brother to try one more time.

Pulling his hand away, Wyatt shook his head regretfully, "Chris, I'm sor-"

Giving his brother a hard shove, Chris's expression turned to one of frustration and anger, "No! NO! she's not gonna die! She's not supposed to go before me! It's supposed to me... She's gonna be okay…… SHE HAS TO BE OKAY!"

Raising his own hand over the large gaping wound, Chris began to shake with frustration, "Heal dammit! WHY THE FUCK CAN'T I HEAL!"

Bianca's gentle hand took in Chris's as she got him to lower his hand, "Chris, promise me one thing okay?"

"You're gonna be-"

Shaking her head, Bianca shushed Chris, "Just listen. No matter what, promise me you're not giving up. You have to keep going. You're never gonna be alone, Chris. I promise you that. We're gonna be together again someday. I promise you with all my heart," her voice began to quiver as she tried to be strong watching Chris's face fall with every word, "Take care of our baby, keep strong for our baby. You're gonna make a great daddy. Just promise me you'll tell our baby about me…. Okay? And…." She placed her ring in the middle of his palm and closed his hand over it while giving it a gentle squeeze, "Make sure you give the baby this for me. I'll be watching over you both, I promise."

She gave Chris's hand one more squeeze and with her other hand, Bianca plunged the athame into her heart and her body burst into ashes. As the blackened snowflakes gracefully floated down to the floor, the air cleared leaving behind the wrinkled form of a newborn baby girl whose fresh cries rang throughout slicing through the dead silence.

**TBC... **


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

"That's your third cup, shouldn't you be slowing down a tad bit?" Paige questioned her oldest nephew as he yet again poured himself another cup of steaming coffee.

"No," he solemnly replied as he started to down the coffee in a couple of gulps and reached for the coffee pot once more.

One week had passed since the "incident". One long week. As expected, the atmosphere in the manor was of mourning and tension as everyone walked around with solemn looks and a sense of apprehension.

"He up there?" Phoebe asked as she sat at the kitchen table still clad in her robe, all thoughts of work forgotten. She had already explained the circumstances to her boss and had not shown up for work for the past week.

Piper nodded with her arms crossed against her chest, "I heard the baby cry when I walked past the steps."

Chris for the past week had been strung tight and had his hands full with his new baby girl. From the instant he brought her home, he was unable to relinquish his grip on his new daughter and refused anyone's offering of lending a hand.

Consequently as a single parent, he was spreading himself thin. Up all night with a crying baby, rushing around trying to get clean diapers while also managing to heat up a bottle. Even when the slightest suggestion of wanting to help was mentioned from one of his family members, he would snap back with a "I can handle it!"

"Whose gonna bring him up breakfast?" Ryan inquired as he watched his mom setting up a tray.

When no one replied, Wyatt sighed with exasperation, "I'll do it."

* * *

Chris sat in the attic with a bundle wrapped in a blanket snuggled between his arms. His hair was disheveled and in need of a haircut as well as a good washing, his clothes wrinkled and also in need of a washing. Upon looking into his face, his eyes were sunken and red with exhaustion and his cheek bones were protruding due to the lack of fat.

Despite his appearance, he was beaming down at a wide awake baby who was now gurgling in response to seeing her father's face.

Upon hearing a knock on the door, he raised his head to see an uncomfortable Wyatt standing at the door with a tray of food in his hands, "Mom wanted me to give this to you."

Nodding his head, Chris nudged his head towards the side table, "Just put it there."

Wyatt did as he was told, once his hands were free he walked behind the couch where Chris sat rocking his daughter and kneeled down behind them.

"She's beautiful."

In return, Chris just smiled and replied, "Just like her mom."

"No, she has your green eyes," Wyatt grinned down at his new niece.

When the baby began fussing and scrunching up her face, Chris stood and began walking around the room while making hushing sounds, "You're alright, it's okay."  
Watching his younger brother pace around the room, Wyatt thought he would surely pass out since he hadn't eaten a thing for the past week. He could see the signs of exhaustion on the younger teens face.

"Chris, let me watch her for a bit and you take a nap. You haven't slept for a week! Besides, I think some uncle-niece bonding is in order here," Wyatt offered light heartedly.

At the mention of help, Chris tensed, "I'm fine. Just….. leave me alone right now."

Knowing how wound up his brother was, Wyatt decided to leave it as a failed attempt rather than argue and have his brother blow up in his face.

With the death of Bianca still fresh on Chris's mind, he was a ticking bomb. What worried Wyatt the most was that with all his time occupied with his daughter, Chris had not yet had time to even mourn. His Aunt Phoebe had deemed it, "denial".

"Chris-"

"Just get of here."

With his back turned to the door, Chris was able to relax his shoulders once the sound of the door closing in its place was distinctly heard.

Shaking his head clear of any thoughts, he went back to pacing the room at a soothing speed and gently swaying his baby girl asleep.

"Chris?"

Startled, Chris jumped in surprise at the sudden voice. He quickly found himself relieved as he looked down to see the angelic face of his still sleeping daughter.

Turning around, his face turned into a gentle frown as he asked in a puzzled tone, "I don't remember summoning you….."

Rolling her eyes in return, she gently replied in a teasing manor, "Well I got tired of waiting for an invitation so I just kinda decided to crash the party."

Seeing the solemn look on Chris's face, her demeanor dropped from its playful tone to one of sincerity, "Well desperate times call for desperate measures. I came to check on how you're holding up and to meet my new grand-niece."

"Well a warning next time would be helpful, aunt Prue."

Smiling, she waltzed over to where Chris was standing behind the Book of Shadows and placed an arm around his shoulder as she peered down into the bundle of blankets, "She's beautiful…."

Nodding his head with a proud grin, Chris was more than pleased as he replied with a confident, "She's just like her mother."

At the mention of Bianca, Prue winced but ignored it as she gently prodded Chris, "Can I hold her?"

Chris looked up into green emerald eyes, his own eyes and quickly looked away as he saw only pity and grief at the situation, "I don't really like anyone holding her but me…."

"Chris, it's me! You're Aunt Prue! Take a breather while I get to know the newest edition to the family."

Swinging around, Chris stared into her eyes with a dead-straight face, "If you're here to get me to talk about what happened. You can just leave. I don't want to talk about anything. She's gone, its over, I'm moving on."

Shaking her head with grim, Prue gently placed a warm hand on the sole of his back, "That's not how it works Chris….. If you don't deal with your problems, its only going to culminate and get worse."

Closing his eyes with his head bowed, Chris took in a deep breath before laying the sleeping bundle in her bassinet. As he fiddled around with the blankets making sure she was completely tucked in, Chris softly spoke with his back turned towards his aunt, "Could you please just go back."

With a troubled look, Prue folded her arms across her chest, "Not until we talk about Bi-"

Swinging his body around with full force, Chris marched into his aunt's face with pure grief and frustration as he hissed, "You can't tell me what to do or what not to do! You weren't here for any of it! So don't try to tell me what I should be doing right now! Right now I have a child to raise and that's what I'm doing! Anyone who objects can just fuck off!"

And with that he turned his back to her once more as Prue gave her nephew one more agonized look before floating into millions of white orbs.

_A laughing Bianca stared at Chris from across the table, "Why would you ever think that! Of course I'll always be next to you!"_

'Not again' Chris thought to himself as his mind began to flash back to old memories… memories that he had been trying so hard to suppress.

"_Love you! Always and forever, right Chris?"_

'Stop it!' he felt his mind begin to squeeze and the pressure of the room increased ten folds as he pounded on his head to make them go away….

_Bianca had her feet raised up onto the table as she rubbed her pregnant belly, "Yup, me and this baby here have it good."_

_Chris scrunched up his face with confusion, "Why?"_

_She giggled as she replied, "'cause we got a big strong warrior to protect us no matter what happens!"_

Gripping his hair with both fists, face screwed up with concentration on forcing back his memories, Chris suddenly sprung up onto his two feet as he dived into a spare box in the attic that held many supplies. Rifling through everything and tossing things aside as he desperately rummaged through, he found the target of his search and stared down upon the object in his hands.

'Don't do it Chris…. It's not what she would want you to do! She helped you stop!"

'It'll make everything go away…. You won't have to remember…. You won't have to hear her…..'

'You don't need it!'

'Do it!'

'Stop!'

'It'll let you stop hurting….'

After his last thought… Chris hesitated before grabbing the object with a quick rush and turning away at his disgust on what he was about to do…..

TBC……


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

"Is he still sleeping?"

Leo startled as his oldest son's voice caught him from behind just as he was shutting the door to his and Piper's room, "Shhh! Careful, don't wake him. God knows he's in serious need of rest."

Wyatt was a sight. His face was scarred with weeks of sleepless nights and his eyes revealed the hours of crying he had spent after the emotional tension had boiled over that afternoon, "Is mom and the baby in there with him?"

Running a hand through his ragged hair, Leo nodded, "You know your mom, she probably won't budge until Chris is fully conscious. And she's been dying to get a hold on our granddaughter for weeks. I don't think we'll be seeing the three of them for a good while."

"Damn it," Wyatt cursed to himself as he shut his eyes and let his body fall against the wall.

"Wyatt," Leo responded softly as he kneeled in front of his son with concerned eyes, "Don't take it too hard. I know today was a pretty rough sight. Trust me, it was killing me too. But we gotta keep it together. You hear me? We can't fall apart now."

Shaking his head, Wyatt felt his eyes burning with suppressed tears. He couldn't get the image of his brother breaking apart out of his head, "Did you see him today? My god… Why him? I don't understand! Why can't we protect him? He's not supposed to be hurting like that, dad! He's not!"

The two men sat in silence as they reminisced over what they had witnessed the past several hours.

"You know I don't support this, but I think under the circumstances I can say screw it. So let's grab a couple of beers."

Nodding his head slowly, Wyatt made to rise but all the while, the afternoon's events kept playing over again in his head…

**:FLASHBACK: (Earlier that day…)**

"_Chris! Would you just stop and listen for a second!" _

_Halfway out of the dining room, Chris whipped around with pure annoyance and frustration displayed across his face as the rest of his family fell to a halting stop behind him, "Listen to what! My family telling me I'm losing it in the head and that they want to send me away to a mental institute! Geesh! If I'm that much of a burden then just tell it to me straight! I'll just take my daughter and leave!"_

_Losing her patience, Paige replied with her desperate plea, "Chris, it's not like that! We're worried that all this stress may be causing serious effects to your health! We're not sending you away to some mental institute! I have a friend who's a specialist and you'd be spending a week with him at a cabin away from all this tension. Come on, Chris. Please. For your Aunt Paige and the rest of your family, think it through."_

_Shaking his head in disbelief, Chris felt himself getting worked up, "So a vacation with some stranger is supposed to cure me? Is that it? This vacation is suddenly gonna make it okay that I don't have a wife anymore? Is it gonna make up for the fact that my daughter is gonna grow up mother-less, is that it!" Chris tried to keep his emotions leveled as he once again stared at the pained looks of his family, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to lose control like that. I really appreciate all of your concerns, but……. I just can't do this right now. I have to go upstairs and check on my baby."_

_As Chris was making his way to leave, Leo grabbed him by the arm to stop him, "Then when are you gonna face it Chris! You need to stop running! You have to let it out son! I don't care how you do it, talk to someone, scream, cry- hell, punch something! I don't care! But you can't keep it bottled inside you, Chris! It's going to kill you! Do you understand that! It's killing you now! If not for the sake of your family, do it for your daughter! 'Cause at this rate, she's gonna be father-less too!"_

_Chris winced at the last sentence as he stood pondering his dad's words. Clenching his eyes tightly, he wrenched his arm out of his father's grasp and shook his head in denial, "I'm fine! I can deal with everything by myself, alright! I just need some time. So lay off my back! Please!"_

_Leo refused to back down as he stared his son in the eye, "Go talk to the psychiatrist, Chris. Please."_

"_What if I don't? Are you gonna hit me again, dad?" Chris knew it was a low blow, but at the time, he was just desperate to get his dad off the topic._

"_Chris, this is getting ridiculous! Have you even looked in a mirror! Is this the father you want your daughter to grow up with! Jesus Christ! You. Need. Help!" Wyatt budded in as he emphasized his words._

"_Wyatt," Piper stepped in as she calmed her son down, "Back off a little. Chris, you know we're only telling you this with you and the baby's best interest at heart. Don't feel like you're taking all this on by yourself. You have a safety net, its okay to fall sometimes."_

"_Oh, you've gotta be shitting me," Wyatt's voice suddenly exclaimed as he spotted something he prayed really wasn't there, "Is this _'I'm handling it guys'_ to you, Chris!"_

"_Wyatt, what-" Phoebe began but was roughly cut before her sentence was completed._

_Quickly understanding his blunder, Chris turned to walk away when he was grabbed roughly from behind by Wyatt's blunt grip, "Damn it, Chris! Don't turn away when I'm talking to you!"_

_Smacking Wyatt's arm, Ryan gave his oldest brother a confused scowl, "What the hell are you doing?"_

"_Back off, Ryan!" Wyatt quickly snarled before turning his attention back to Chris who was staring at a picture that hung directly behind Wyatt's head to avoid Wyatt's eyes, "Are you insane! What the hell is the matter with you, Chris! Do you not trust us that much! Do you really think that's your only damn alternative! I want a fucking answer, Chris!"_

"_Alright, enough! Wyatt, if you don't let go of your brother right now I swear there will be hell to pay! What are you going on about?" Piper's gaze burned into Wyatt's although Wyatt seemed to be unfazed as he was too wound up to care._

_Roughly grabbing Chris's arm, he rolled up the sleeve to reveal several large cuts, some of which still seemed to be slightly bleeding, "This is Chris's method of handling it!"_

_Yanking his arm away from his brother, Chris ducked his head and turned to leave suddenly feeling guilty and ashamed. His family, however, had other plans as about four arms reached out to stop him._

"_Oh my god…. "_

"_CHRISTOPHER HALLIWELL!"_

"_You better start packing your things, mister 'cause you're leaving in twenty minutes!"_

"_That's NOT one of the ways I pictured when I told you to deal with it."_

"_I swear I could fucking kick your scrawny ass right now you little punk!"_

"_How could you possibly think hurting yourself was an answer!"_

"_Did you not think about what you were doing to your family! To your daughter!"_

"_Do you think Bianca would've wanted this for you! Do you think she would've wanted to see you mutilating yourself like that!"_

"_I'm waiting for an answer, Chris!"_

"_Chris-"_

"_SHUT UP! SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP!" Chris's voice riveted throughout the household as he held his head in between his hands trying to drown out the voices of his family. Immediately his family went into a dead silence as they saw Chris was teetering on the edge of a nervous break down._

"_Chris-"_

"_STOP IT! STOP SAYING MY NAME! ALRIGHT! I'm a screw up, I'm a dumbass! I can't get anything fucking right! I suck as a dad, I suck as a brother, I'm a messed up son, I'm a shitty husband! What the hell do you want from me! _

_I just lost my wife! MY WIFE! THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ME! They weren't after her! SHE DIED BECAUSE OF ME! We were supposed to be married and raise our daughter together! I was supposed to die before her! I wasn't supposed to watch her die! I promised her I would protect her! I PROMISED HER! She was always holding me up, and this is how I repaid her! She was always there no matter what! SHE WAS THERE! That's something I can't say for any of you! And now, she's gone and I have to do this on my own! Of course I'm driving myself down! I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!_

_You wonder why I'm going insane! I had to fucking watch her die while I couldn't do a damn thing about it! And all the fucking while I knew this was all my fault! The last thing she told me to do was protect her daughter, OUR daughter! So excuse me for trying to hang on to the only thing I have left of her! For trying to at least do this one thing for her! I promised her I would stay strong for our daughter and I'm trying like hell! _

_You guys trying to break me down, trying to get me to talk about it! To re-live it when its hard enough to block out the nightmares! Yeah, ITS NOT HELPING!"_

_Chris angrily swiped away his tears and temper his ragged breathing._

"_Cutting yourself isn't the answer, sweetie… You should've just come to us! To me! I'm your mother for crying out loud!" Piper choked out as her face was distorted from suppressed sobs._

"_Don't judge me! If this was the only way to numb the pain, then I did it! Because my daughter needs me more! I don't have fucking time to cry and mourn and pathetically wish Bianca was still here! None of its going to bring her back! If hurting myself was the only way to make the pain go away for a bit so I can take care of my daughter, then I'll do it! She's not coming back! I've dealt with it and now I'm moving on! I have to stop playing the role of mourning husband and start acting like a dad!"_

_With a look of understanding, Phoebe scrunched her eyes with sorrow, "That's not true… You still expect to see her waiting for you…….. You're not ready to move on…… You're still waiting for her, aren't you?"_

_His aunt's statement made its mark as Chris clenched his teeth and without a word, orbed out._

"_Leo-" Piper quickly began._

_Opening his eyes, he responded, "He's at P3."_

"_Ryan, stay here with the baby, we'll be right back."

* * *

_

_As Leo, Wyatt, Piper, Phoebe and Paige orbed in to a dimly lit P3, they quickly flinched at the loud crack of wood and the shattering of glass._

_Chris grabbed another chair as he threw it with all his might against the unyielding wall, which caused the chair to splinter and scatter into several pieces. Screaming in frustration, he grabbed another chair and repeatedly smashed it into the wall as he threw his whole body into every move and felt his heart constricting with every splintering of the wood. Dropping the chair, his emotions still throttling through his body, he viciously threw himself at the wall. His fist continually striking the unrelenting barrier, he felt himself shake as he bit back a sob and instead began assailing the wall with even more brutality._

"_I HATE THIS! I FUCKING HATE THIS! I DIDN'T ASK FOR THIS!"_

_As an arm seized him across his waist from behind, Chris began to wildly buck and struggle as his haggard breathing altered into jagged sobs, "Let me GO! DON'T TOUCH ME!"_

_Pulling his son away from the wall, Leo turned Chris to face him as his violently thrashing son continued to strike Leo across the chest, "Let me go! I hate this….. I HATE THIS!"_

_Pulling his shaking son into a tight embrace, the two fell to the floor as Leo bit back his own tears as he watched his son break down into hysteria._

_Gripping his dad tighter, Chris scrunched his face as the sobs were constricting his lungs making it harder for him to draw breath, "Make it stop hurting, dad… Please, make it stop….. I don't want to do this anymore…. Just make it go away….Please….."_

_Choking on his own sob, Leo nodded his head and slowly rocked his son as he whispered soothing words to his hysterical son, "Shh… I've got you… It's okay Chris, everything's going to be okay…"_

_Shaking his head, Chris clenched his eyes and gritted his teeth to keep in the tears as he embraced his father tighter while burying his head in his shoulder he managed to choke out, "It's not going to be okay, dad…. She's not going to come back… She's never coming back…. So when will it be okay? Please tell me … When will it be okay?"_

_The two remained as they were for hours as the rest of the family watched from the sidelines, the only sounds were of sobbing and haggard breaths, watching their family slowly start to unravel and fall a part. What they didn't know was that this was the final push…. This final push that would lead them to a series of horrid and unforgivable events in which none would forget… _

TBC…


	21. Yikes

**READ THIS NOTICE**

Alright, here's the thing. It's been like half a year since I updated this story. Maybe even longer. I was thinking, hell, I should just take it down and pretend I never even wrote it or started it. BUT, that wouldn't be fair for all my loyal reviewers, who I really do appreciate. You've guys have been awesome with all the reviews and trust me, I've read every single one.

So, what's my solution? Find a new writer.

So here's the deal. I can't hang on to this story anymore so I'm willing to pass it on to whoever wants it. Full rights, the whole deal. If more than one person is willing to take it off my hands, than I'll just have each one of them enter in the next chapter. I'll read them, pick the best, and voila, we'll have a new writer and everyone's happy.

If anyone's interested, just review this message.

Thanks.


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